Trust In Me, Trust In You
by DiNozzos probie
Summary: One night, one song changes everything between Gibbs and Tony. Secrets are revealed as they try to figure out their new relationship, and someone from Tony's past threatens to destroy everything. This is a slash fic. Contains adult content and rated MA for a reason! You have been duly warned!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: After a much needed break my muse and I are back! I started this story a few months ago and decided it was time to dust if off. There is a very long gap in time from the end of this prologue to chapter 1, which is set in the present. As Tony's past and future collide he will be forced to deal with memories which will appear throughtout this story as flashbacks. Two men want him, love him, and need him. As their paths cross will Tony be forced to choose between them, or will events decide for him?

Warning: Slash! It's rated M for a reason!

I do not have a beta, so please forgive any mistakes! Try as I might typos still manage to get past me. I greatly welcome any and all feedback, including constructive criticism. Please don't flame though. If you have a problem with the story or the author, please just quit reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, except for a few originals thrown in from time to time. I'm just borrowing Tony, Gibbs and the gang for a little while. I am making no money from this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

"Trust in Me, Trust in You"

Ch 1

_**Prologue: May 1993:**_

Tony and two of his Ohio State frat brothers Matt and Rick decided to celebrate the end of the spring semester of their junior year by spending the weekend in Pittsburgh. By mid-afternoon Friday after Tony's last class, the three friends piled into Matt's parent's Buick Regal for the three hour drive. Rick's cousin Derek had recently moved to Pittsburgh after getting a job at an art gallery and invited the three friends for the weekend. The plan was to go clubbing with Derek then crash at his apartment.

After a brief stop at Derek's to shower and change into suitable clothes the four headed out for a bite to eat before heading to Derek's favorite club for a night of dancing. They were instantly assaulted by flashing lights and the pounding rhythms of the club mix music blaring out of speakers that seemed to be everywhere. As they followed Derek inside, it didn't take long for them to realize exactly the type of club Derek had brought them to.

Matt, the shy one in the group, was stunned and blanched at the sight of two men leaning against the wall making out as if no one else was around. Matt was from a small town in rural Ohio and had never been exposed to anything more debauched than an occasional fraternity-sponsored wet t-shirt contest on campus.

Rick, the trouble maker, laughed at Matt's reaction. "Matty my boy, even you might get lucky tonight," he teased as he clapped a hand down on his friend's shoulder. Rick scanned the near capacity crowd and shook his head in disbelief.

Tony gaped and was immediately transfixed by the scene playing out before him. Flashing lights glinted off of sweaty, shirtless hard bodies packed onto the expansive dance floor. Several chrome-railed staircases led to catwalks and an open loft area where patrons could watch the dancers below. Dozens of scantilly clad men displayed their dancing skills from various fixed platforms around and above the lighted dance floor. From the matching costumes they wore, which consisted of assless chaps, cowboy boots and cowboy hats, it was obviously a western themed night despite the Euro club mix music.

As the night wore on, Tony became quite popular among the regulars, many of whom offered to buy him drinks. He was used to be ogled and overtly leered at so it didn't bother him. He had to admit, however, that it was a tad unsettling that all of the attention was from men instead of women. With his long lean frame and stunning good looks, Tony had his choice of admirers. He was an absolute master at the art of flirting, so he had no trouble giving as good as he got. There was only one teeny weeny little problem: Unbeknownst to his admirers, Tony was straight.

Being outgoing by nature, Tony played along and allowed several men drag him out onto the dance floor. Rick and Matt had taken up positions leaning against the bar and watched with fascination as their "brother" flirted and danced like a pro. Neither man was in any way, shape or form homophobic, but they both laughed at the ridiculous idea that Tony "Sex Machine" DiNozzo was anything but a serial ladies man. Tony always had a long-legged, big-chested model wannabe on his arm at every social function. Beautiful women of all ages would practically trip over each other to get to him when Tony and his friends hit the local bars.

The idea of Tony doing anything with a man was so far out of the realm of possibility that Rick choked on his drink when he saw Tony's latest dance partner fist his hair, pull his head back and begin kissing his way up Tony's neck. Even more shocking was the fact that Tony didn't react by beating the shit out of the guy right there on the dance floor. Instead, Rick and Matt watched in absolute shock as Tony closed his eyes and placed his hands firmly on the other man's hips.

"Holy hell, Rick!" Matt declared before tossing back the remainder of his drink. A dazed Rick was about to go out and drag Tony away when Derek suddenly appeared at his side.

"Having a good time Ricky? I've seen a few guys checking you two out," he said, earning a threatening glare from his cousin.

"Jesus, Derek! Why the fuck didn't you tell me what kind of place this was?"

Rick stammered as he took a pull from his beer without taking his eyes off of Tony.

Derek threw his head back and laughed. "Honey, I didn't want to ruin the surprise. Besides, if I told you, you wouldn't have come."

"No shit! But why the hell a gay bar, Derek? Jesus, none of us are gay," Rick growled, not wanting to raise his voice and draw any undue attention to himself.

Derek followed Rick's line of sight and smirked. "Well I am, and your gorgeous friend Tony sure seems to be having a good time," he said with a chuckle. "Looks like my boy Steve's getting ready to drag him to the backroom where the real fun begins. You boys might as well settle in and have a couple of drinks."

Matt snorted, "Nah, not happening. No way. Not DiNozzo."

Tony's mind was reeling as softer than expected lips placed kisses all up and down his neck. When they reached a spot below his left ear, Tony involuntarily put his hands firmly on his dance partner's hips as his knees went weak. He didn't know what to think or feel as his senses were overwhelmed by the unexpected sensations the other man was creating.

Tony's rational mind knew full well that he was being seduced by an expert in the art of seduction. He could see through his half-opened eyes men leading other men away from the dance floor towards a dimly lit backroom. He had more than enough experience in clubs to know exactly what took place in the backrooms, bathrooms and any available dark corner. Tony knew that he needed to get control of the situation before things got out of hand.

Tony shook his head to clear the fog and took a step back to try and create some distance, but found himself held fast by the strong arms around his waist. "Um, I should get back to my friends," Tony said shyly, "We didn't know this was a ... um ... gay bar."

"What's your name?" the blonde man purred refusing to relinquish his hold on Tony. "I'm Steve, Steve Barton."

Tony cleared his throat and muttered, "Tony, uh, Tony DiNozzo. Um, thanks for the dance, but I really ... " he was cut off by Steve's lips capturing his in a kiss full of promise and more than a bit of unbridled desire . Something deep inside Tony sparked and he found himself returning the kiss and deepening it as his own desisre flaired up. His arms involuntarily came up around Steve's neck at the same time Steve's arms pulled him closer. When they finally broke apart, Tony's mind was spinning and he was panting in an attempt to catch his breath.

Tony caught sight of Rick and Matt gaping at him and he suddenly panicked. He shoved Steve back and squared his shoulders. In a shaky voice Tony said, "I really have to go. I'm, uh, not exactly you're type you know? I mean, I'm straight. Have a girlfriend and everything." That was a complete lie, but Tony thought it would be a good way out.

Unfortunately, Steve was not deterred. "I thought I was totally straight, too," he said as he stepped back into Tony's personal space. "You felt something just now, I could tell. You're definitely hard, and God knows I want you." Steve smiled at the shocked expression on Tony's face. "But I understand if you want to run. You're scared. I get it. I was just like you until a few months ago." Steve then reached into his back pocket and pulled out a business card. "Give me a call if you change your mind. I'll be here tomorrow night." Steve kissed Tony's cheek then left him standing there totally stunned.

"Jesus fucking Christ, DiNozzo! What the hell was that?" Rick demanded as he pulled Tony off of the dance floor and shoved a bottle of beer in his hand. "We're here for like two hours and now you're suddenly, what, queer?"

Matt just stood and blinked in stunned silence while Derek chuckled as he threw an arm around Rick's shoulders. "Calm down, Ricky my boy! Tony here isn't the first straight guy to be charmed by Steve, who, by the way, really knows how to fuck."

"That's it! We're leaving right fucking now," Rick barked and dragged Matt away from the bar. "You coming with us, DiNozzo?"

Tony took a long pull from his beer before slamming the bottle down on the bar. "Yeah, let's get out of here," he said quietly.

Derek waved and called out to the trio as they began weave their way through the crowd toward the exit, "You boys behave yourselves. I'll be home laters."

There was palpable tension in the air as Tony, Rick and Matt walked the three blocks back to Derek's apartment. Matt kept stealing sideways glances at Tony, who was uncharacteristically quiet. Rick marched on at a brisk pace, feeling the need to get as far from the club as possible leaving Matt and Tony several yards back.

Tony suddenly stopped and called out to Rick, "Hey! Will you chill the hell out! For the record, I'm NOT queer. I was just playing along. I didn't know that dude was gonna kiss me! What was I supposed to do?"

Rick rounded on Tony and stormed back until he was just inches from his best friend, who was suddenly behaving like a complete stranger. "I dunno. You could have punched him or at least shoved him away and told him to fuck off. But instead you decided to shove YOUR tongue down HIS throat! Jesus, DiNozzo, you looked like you were pretty into it." Rick just stared at Tony and waited for a response.

Seeing how confused and uncomfortable Tony was, Matt chimed in. "Hey Rick, calm down. We got out there and nothing happened. Just chalk it up to too much booze, right Tony?" Tony's only response was a frown and a shrug. Nothing more was said as they arrived back at Derek's place around midnight. When they arrived, Tony put on one of his many protective masks and did everything he could to assure his friends that he was the same Tony DiNozzo they knew and loved.

Unable to sleep, Tony got up from his makeshift bed on the floor and stared out the window at the full moon. It was 3:00 a.m. and Matt and Rick were both camped out in the living room; Rick on the couch and Matt in a sleeping bag a few feet from where Tony had been. The encounter with Steve had left Tony unsettled but also more than a little curious. He closed his eyes and recalled the feel of another man's lips on his and the strong arms that held him in place. Tony was a surprised as Rick was that he didn't punch the guy, who obviously assumed he was gay.

What drove him to return and even deepen the kiss Tony couldn't really say, but he chalked it up to curiosity. He had never even considered the idea of getting it on with another guy, but something in Steve's gray-green eyes spoke to him. Tony looked down at the business card in his hand and debated with himself about calling Steve. _"I did lead the guy on in a way, so maybe I should at least apologize to him, right? Maybe tomorrow I can get away from Rick and Matt long enough to call him. It's not like I'm gonna go hook up with him or ever see him again, right?"_

With that nagging thought in his mind, Tony returned to his sleeping bag and waited for sleep to take him. When he did finally fall asleep he had a dream; he was back in Steve's arms and loving every minute of it.

* * *

_**Summer vacation 1993:**_

Tony had returned to Pittsburgh to work as a bartender for the summer. He had called Steve the next day to apologize for leading him on and Steve practically begged Tony to meet him to talk and gave him directions to a nearby diner. Tony got the opportunity to call when he begged off going sightseeing with Derek, Rick and Matt. He used the excuse that he wasn't feeling well, which was partially true since his stomach was in knots.

Tony agreed to meet Steve at the diner a couple of blocks away at noon. His heart skipped a beat when he stepped inside the diner and saw the other man casually leaning back in a chair and smiling as he approached the table.

"Hey," Tony said shyly as he pulled out the chair across the small table and sat down.

"Hey, yourself," Steve replied while giving Tony a thorough once over. "Thanks for coming. I was hoping to see you again."

"Yeah, about that. Um, look, sorry about leading you on last night. I don't know exactly what came over me but … I can't stop thinking about it," Tony said with wonder in his voice. "You were right, though. I did feel something, not that I understand it. I've never been turned on by a guy before. Kinda scared the shit out of me, you know?"

Steve smiled and reached across the table to squeeze Tony's hand. "Yeah, I do. It was the same for me. You know, most guys at that club are willing to do anything with anyone, anywhere, anytime, but something about you was different. Really turned me on, especially when you said you were straight."

Tony and Steve talked over BLTs and sodas then left the diner to continue their talk. It was a standard "get to know you" kind of conversation. Tony was grateful that Steve didn't pressure him to talk about last night. They kept pretty much to the safe topics of where they grew up, what they were doing now, and what they planned to do in the future.

They strolled the streets of the obviously gay-friendly neighborhood, and the more he saw the more accepting Tony became of seeing two men together and it piqued his interest even further. When Steve grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers, Tony didn't even flinch. He didn't know what it was, but something about Steve screamed at Tony to trust him and see what happened.

Half an hour later Steve stopped in front of an older brick building and turned to Tony. "You wanna come up to my place for a bit," Steve asked with a smile, which turned into a chuckle at Tony's reaction to the question. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna jump you … unless, of course, you want me to," he added seductively.

Tony blushed furiously and found he couldn't speak, so he nodded hesitantly and let Steve lead him up to his third floor apartment. Once inside the small but tidy apartment, Tony's nerves got the better of him as he looked around and he began to tremble. Steve noticed immediately and ran his hands soothingly up and down Tony's arms.

For the first time in his life, Tony DiNozzo felt like a blushing virgin. He didn't know what to say or what to do so he decided to follow Steve's lead. Steve lead Tony over to his thrift store couch which took up a good share of the small living room and pulled him down so that Tony was almost in his lap. Tony looked at Steve and gasped at the sight of his fully dilated pupils. Instead of being scared of the man's reaction to him, Tony was more turned on than he thought possible.

Against his better judgment, Tony gave in to the curiousity and leaned in to take Steve's lips in a tentative kiss. Steve wrapped his arms around Tony and deepened the kiss. It wasn't long before desire once again took over and Tony's mind was reeling. He surprised himself when he crawled into Steve's lap, looked into his eyes, and whispered, "I want you to show me."

Steve didn't need to ask what Tony meant since he'd been in that position before. "Are you sure," Steve asked firmly. Getting an affirmative nod and a weak, shy smile, Steve stood and pulled Tony to his feet and lead him to his bedroom.

Steve wasted no time divesting himself and Tony of their clothes then laid Tony down on his bed. He murmurmed repeated assurances to Tony that he would take care of him and take things slow. Tony closed his eyes and let Steve's soothing voice wash over him. "God you're gorgeous T! I want you so bad. I'm gonna make you fly. Trust me, T, it will be so good."

Everything being done to him was so new and so exciting that Tony just let go and let the feelings and sensations take over. Steve explained everything he was doing as he spent an inordinant amount of time slowly and carefully opening Tony up all while driving him crazy by alternately licking, sucking and nibbling on his nipples and peppering his neck, chest and shoulders with kisses. Tony always loved having his nipples played with, so he began to melt into the mattress as Steve continued to drive him wild while carefully working him open.

When he was satisfied after working three fingers in and out of Tony for a few minutes, Steve rolled on a condom and lubed up his impressive erection. "It's easier for your first time if you're on your hands and knees," Steve whispered in his ear as he slowly stroked Tony's hard, leaking cock, "but I'll do whatever you want."

Tony shook his head and cleared his parched throat. "No. I need to be able to see you. Just … please just go really, really slow."

Steve smiled down into the sparkling green eyes below him. "I will, I promise. T, it's gonna hurt at first, but soon all you'll feel is me filling you. I promise you will love it. Just relax." After a few kisses to help relax Tony, Steve lined himself up and slowly breached the tight ring of muscle with just the swollen head of his large, thick cock.

"Shit," Tony called out as the first initial flash of burning pain. He fisted the sheets and through gritted teeth yelled, "Oh God, it hurts!"

Steve lowered himself down to whisper in Tony's ear. "Just take a couple of deep breaths and relax. The pain won't last. Just breathe."

Tony did as instructed and after the second deep breath, Steve slid home in one long stroke causing Tony to again cry out. Steve stilled to allow Tony's body to adjust to the intrusion. After a couple of minutes, Steve asked, "You ready now, T?"

Tony nodded nervously then slammed his eyes shut as Steve pulled almost all the way out before slowly sliding all the way back in. After a few minutes, the pain and burning sensation faded only to be replaced with unbelievable pleasure. Tony opened his eyes and his hips shot up off of the bed when Steve's cock brushed over his prostate causing Tony to moan loudly.

With a look of determination in his eyes, Tony suddenly demanded, "More. Give me more. Feels so good."

Steve obliged and took Tony until both men were sweating as they raced toward completion. "God dammit, T! You are so goddam tight; it feels so good. I want you to come for me. I wanna be inside you when you lose it," Steve panted. He then took Tony's profusely leaking cock in his fist and began stroking. It wasn't long before Tony arched his back again and exploded between them with Steve's name on his lips. Steve followed a mere second or two later and buried himself as deep as he could before filling the condom with his release.

After a long hot shower together, they talked more as Steve walked Tony back toward Derek's apartment. Tony figured he'd had his walk on the wild side and it was nothing more than a one time thing. Sex was sex as far as he was concerned; it didn't have to mean anything and no strings attached meant no one got hurt when it was over.

Over the course of several hours, however, Steve had managed to convince Tony to come back for the summer. He promised to put in a good word with his friend Mark, the club's owner, who was always looking for hot, young bartenders. When Tony questioned where he would stay, Steve readily offered up his home … and his bed.

* * *

Tony waited until both Rick and Matt left for the summer before loading up his car and heading back to Pittsburgh. He let them both believe that he was going home to Long Island where his father and current stepmother lived just as he did every summer. If this "thing" with Steve turned into anything more than a summer romance he would tell them, but for now Steve was his guilty secret. Tony was excited as he was apprehensive about returning to Pittsburgh. Just one incredible afternoon with Steve had turned Tony's world on its axis, and he didn't know who he was anymore.

He managed to concentrate enough back at Ohio State to study and do well on his final exams, and celebrated the end of finals week in bed with a hot young co-ed named Mandy or Mindy or Melanie; he couldn't really remember. That was typical of the vast majority of his sexual encounters. No strings, not promises and no regrets, all of which he made clear from the start. So, did that make him bisexual now since women still turned him on, too? Tony gave himself a mental shrug at that question as he packed. Living at the frat house meant Tony only had to pack his clothes, toiletries and a few of his favorite CDs. The large bedroom he shared at the house with Matt would be waiting for him when he came back in August.

Two weeks later, on his first night back in Pittsburgh, Steve took Tony to the club to meet Mark, who hired him on the spot as a bartender and ordered him to report for work the next afternoon. Tony became fast friends with the staff and was very popular among the regulars at the club, including Derek. Tony and Derek had been friends at Ohio State and Tony trusted him almost as much as he did Rick and Matt. After getting over his initial shock at Tony coming out as bi, Derek swore to Tony that he would take his secret to the grave. He fully understood Tony's need to figure things out as far as Steve was concerned. Derek tried to warn Tony that Steve was known for having a wandering eye, but Tony never saw evidence of it. He would watch from behind the bar as Steve danced with a number of obviously interested men on any given night, but it was kept to strictly dancing.

He loved his job and made great tips as he flirted with everyone, even going so far as to bestow a lucky few large tippers with teasing kisses for their generosity. He received more than his share of invitations to the backroom, which Tony sweetly and politely declined. Tony's sole encounter in the backroom happened one night when Steve dragged him back there begging Tony to let him suck his cock, which Tony figured was as good a way as any to spend his 15-minute break. Steve was, after all, a deep-throating master and never failed to drive Tony to the edge of insanity when giving him a blow job.

By Thursday night Tony had worked six nights straight and begged Mark to let him leave a couple of hours early. He was exhausted and was looking forward to sleeping in before getting ready for a weekend in the country with Steve. It was their two month anniversary and Steve had rented a rustic cabin so they could celebrate. Tony chuckled to himself as he leisurely strolled home wondering at what point he had become such a romantic fool. _"If Rick only knew that I had a boyfriend now instead of a girlfriend."_

It was the longest exclusive relationship Tony had ever experienced. He knew full well that he was falling hard and fast for Steve, who professed his love after only a couple of weeks of them being together. Even though Steve was much more expericenced than Tony, they were equals in their relationship. Tony had performed anal sex with some pretty adventerous women back at Ohio State but topping Steve completely blew his mind.

Tony had never been happier and was dreading the day he would have to return to Ohio when the fall semester started in a few short weeks. With a smile on his face, Tony unlocked the apartment door only to end up gasping in shock while his heart simultaneously shattered into a million pieces. Unseen by the current occupants of the apartment, Tony slowly backed away and silently pulled the door closed and headed back out into the night with the image of Steve frantically fucking Derek over the back of the couch burned into his mind.

Tony aimlessly walked the streets for hours waiting for the sun to come up trying to figure out a way to deal with the overwhelming betrayal. He knew that Steve left for work promptly at 7:00, so after stopping into the now familiar diner for coffee he headed back in the direction of the apartment building. He hid around the corner of the building and watched a tired and pensive-looking Steve come out the front door. Steve paused at the sight of Tony's car parked in its usual spot on the street in front of the building, but not seeing any sign of Tony himself, he continued down the sidewalk. Once Steve was far enough down the block, Tony ran inside and made short work of grabbing his belongings. Tears formed in his eyes as he haphazardly threw all of this clothes into the two large suitcases he had arrived with and tossed the rest of his things in the gym bag he had recently purchased. He loaded up his car and returned to the apartment for one last look around to make sure he didn't leave anything behind. He ignored the incessently ringing telephone and just let the answering machine pick up.

A lump formed in Tony's throat when Steve's voice filled the room between beeps from the machine. _"T, if you're there __**please**__ pick up. I need to know you're all right." Beep. "Tony, please. I need to know why you didn't come home last night." Beep. "I'm only working half a day so I'll be home by noon. I missed you last night."_ Beep. _"Tony, please pick up. I need to hear your voice."_

Tony checked his watch which now read 10:30. He picked up a spiral notebook and pen from the coffee table and sat at the small kitchen table to write Steve a note. Anger, confusion and abject sadness fought for control as he fumbled with the words he wanted and needed to say to the person who had betrayed him. He ended up tossing away a dozen sheets of crumpled paper before finally leaving a simple note which ready only "Good Bye". He then pulled the apartment key from his keyring and tossed it on the table where it bounced once and landed next to the note. As he left the apartment for the last time, he sighed before wiping the last of his tears from his eyes.

Ten minutes later, Tony pulled into the parking lot of the club. He walked past the bar ignoring the greetings from his co-workers and marched up to Mark's office. Mark was shocked by Tony's abrupt announcement that he was quitting immediately and needed his final pay check, but he didn't argue. The look on Tony's face told him everything he needed to know. He handed Tony his paycheck, shook his hand, and told him he was welcome to come back anytime. Tony thanked him and quickly said his good byes to the bar staff who were cleaning up from last night and left. After a quick stop at the bank to cash his check, Tony got back in his car and drove west with no particular destination in mind. The clock on the dash read 12:00. Steve would be home soon and Tony let out a relieved sigh that he didn't have to face the man he loved, who only a few short hours ago was the center of his world.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This chapter was inspired by a couple of photos tweeted by Michael Weatherly on New Year's Eve 2012. I couldn't make out the writing on the headstock so I do not know the model of the electric guitar Michael was playing, so I have Tony playing a Fender Stratocaster (my personal favorite).

A huge thank you for all of the alerts, PMs and reviews for the prologue! I am sincerely touched by the overwhelming show of support!

* * *

**Present Day:**

"Tony will you relax already! It's gonna be fine," McGee said as he turned a tuning peg on his Fender Jazz bass. Satisfied that the instrument was now properly tuned he continued, "Gibbs probably won't show up anyway. You know how much he hates this kind of stuff."

Tony sat down on a folding chair across the makeshift dressing room backstage at the Adams House Hotel where the annual NCIS/FBI interagency charity talent show was being held. He only sat for a moment before he shot out of the chair and began pacing around the room. He was more nervous than at any other point in his life, except for maybe when he lost his virginity when he was fifteen.

Tony was kicking himself for suggesting that he, McGee and Dorneget should form a band and enter the talent show. What the hell was he thinking? NCIS had not been well represented the year before so Vance, not wanting to be shown up by the FBI two years running, demanded participation from every department. McGee, to pretty much everyone's surprise, played bass guitar and had even been in a jazz band while at MIT. Dorney, a life-long Neil Peart fan, played drums. No one would _ever_ mistake him for the legendary Rush drummer, but he played well enough.

Tony embraced music during his years away at boarding school where he was sent at the behest of a beautiful, young stepmother who didn't need or want an angsty kid hanging around. Writing songs became Tony's preferred method of dealing with the isolation and feelings of abandonment he often felt at being sent away. He had become quite an accomplished piano player by age twelve, but during his teen years he found that girls really had a thing for guitar players. He played and sang lead in a bar band while at Ohio State that had a large following of groupies. Much to his surprise several of his more devoted fans were male; a revelation that would eventually introduce him to so many of life's possibilities.

"Yeah, well Abby made him promise to show up, and you know he'd never break a promise to her," Tony said with a heavy sigh. "We gotta play a different song, McGee. We can't play mine. Man, if Gibbs shows up he'll figure it out, and I'll never be able to face him."

They had planned on playing two songs; "Banditos" by the Refreshments followed by one of Tony's original songs. They had spent every possible minute away from work practicing in the garage of Abby's rented house and were fairly confident that the songs were tight. However as luck would have it, Dorneget, to everyone's astonishment, contracted Mono and had to drop out two weeks before the big event. Palmer was there to offer his services, but they only had time to work on one song and McGee insisted that it be Tony's.

McGee carefully placed his bass in its stand and went over and stood in front of Tony and placed his hands firmly on Tony's shoulders. "Hey, Tony, listen to me. Your song is _really_ good. Besides, it's the only one we all know since Palmer took over. It'll be okay, Tony, just relax. Besides, it'll be over soon and when we win you'll have a cool trophy to take home," McGee said with a smile, hoping to ease Tony's nerves with a bit of humor. Tony's response was an exaggerated eye roll.

Palmer suddenly burst through the door, barely able to contain his excitement. "Man, this is gonna be great! The place is packed! There must be 300 people out there, and ...", he trailed off when he noticed that Tony suddenly looked like he was going to be sick. "Tony, are you okay," Palmer asked, concern for his friend showing on his face.

"He'll be okay, Palmer. Just a little case of nerves," McGee offered. "Come on, let's give him a minute," McGee said motioning with his head toward the door.

"Uh, sure," Palmer replied looking at McGee with confusion, but dutifully followed him out the door and into the hallway. "McGee? What's really wrong with Tony? He doesn't look so good."

McGee closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Palmer, did you happen to see if Abby is here yet?"

"Yeah, she is. She's sitting with Dr. Mallard, Ziva, and Agent Gibbs," Palmer replied.

"Oh shit," McGee muttered while running a hand down his face. "That's why Tony is so nervous, Palmer. Look, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, but you can't say _anything_ to _anyone_, okay? You have to promise." Getting an affirmative nod from Palmer, McGee continued, "Tony's song ... it's kind of … personal. He wrote it for, well, he wrote it about ... Gibbs."

Palmer grinned at McGee and with a hint of wonder in his voice said, "No kidding? Wow! I guess I can see why Tony would be nervous. I've actually wondered about that, but could never bring myself to ask. I could tell it was about someone really special. Hey, you don't think Agent Gibbs will freak out or get mad, do you? Should we, um, just tell Tony that Gibbs is a no-show? You know, maybe it will help if he doesn't think he's here?"

McGee shook his head and stated plainly, "No way, Palmer. I am _not_ going to lie to Tony. Enough people do that to him already, and this is too important." McGee was about to turn and head back into their dressing room when he heard Cynthia call out his name. Being ridiculously efficient at everything, Vance had put her in charge of organizing the NCIS acts for the event. "Hey Cynthia," he said with a curt nod in greeting.

Holding a clip board to her chest she announced, "You guys are on in ten minutes. You better get backstage." She then left as quickly as she had appeared leaving McGee and Palmer to trade shrugs and go back into their room.

"Palmer, you okay with Tony having a thing for Gibbs? I mean, you didn't seem very surprised," McGee stated as he stood with his arms crossed and frowned at Palmer.

"Of course I'm okay with it," Palmer declared. He looked around to make sure no one could overhear them then whispered, "Tony took me out one night to cheer me up after Breena called things off, and, well … you know what they say about drunken confessions. He sort of, you know … hinted that he had been with a few guys. He kind of admitted that he's had a crush on Agent Gibbs forever. Really kind of sad when you think about it."

"Yeah, I know," McGee said with a sigh. "Well, come on. Let's go get Tony."

They tried to think of a way to keep Tony calm as they walked down the hall back to the dressing room. "Ten minutes, Tony," Palmer stated cautiously when he stepped into the room, noticing that Tony was leaning back in a chair with his head back and eyes closed.

"Okay then. Let's get this over with," Tony said resignedly as he stood and grabbed his Fender Stratocaster from where it was leaning against the wall. With a determined stride he quickly headed for the door with McGee and Palmer following while trading wide-eyed looks.

When they arrived backstage a band comprised of FBI agents was finishing a three-song set of standard garage band cover tunes. Amid a less than enthusiastic but polite round of polite applause for their lead in act, Tony turned to his band mates and said with a nod and a tight smile, "M'fine you guys. A few minutes meditating does wonders. I'll be okay. Besides, it's too late to back out now."

Meanwhile, Abby, Gibbs, Ducky, and Ziva were sitting at a table near the front, stage left. The house lights were dimmed and the large hall was mostly dark, save for the good-sized stage erected along the back wall. Large light trees were placed at both stage front corners, and a long bar of lights hung from the ceiling at the back of the stage. It was all in all it was a pretty impressive production.

"Wow Bossman, you look hot," Abby declared when Gibbs arrived before standing up to straighten his necktie, earning an eye roll. She was surprised to see him all dressed up in a dark grey suit that might even impress Tony. She smirked to herself wondering if that was exactly why he chose it. The starched light blue dress shirt accentuated Gibbs' eyes, and the blue, red, and silver striped tie added the perfect splash of color. "I'm so glad you came with us, Gibbs. I know the guys will be glad you showed up. They're up next," Abby said as she beamed at Gibbs while bouncing with excitement in her seat clasping the program to her chest.

"I promised you I'd be here, Abs," Gibbs said, favoring her with a fatherly smile and a kiss on her cheek. Abby was dressed mostly in black, but otherwise she was completely out of character. Along with a black leather pencil skirt she wore an almost frilly ivory blouse and patent leather black pumps. Gone were the leather slave wrist gauntlets, leather rings, and studded collar, which had been replaced for the evening with a turquoise necklace and matching drop earrings and a silver bracelet. Her raven black hair was down and cascaded over her shoulders framing her face, contrasting sharply with her porcelain complexion. She had abandoned the heavy dark eye makeup and blood red lipstick in favor of a touch of mascara, a hint of blush, and clear lip gloss.

Ziva was also a vision in a demure dark blue tea length dress with a wide gold belt and gold sandals. He only jewelry were the gold Star of David necklace she always wore and small gold hoop earrings. Her hair was swept up in a soft style leaving tendrils framing her face.

Ducky was dressed in a dark blue suit, white dress shirt and blue and red bow tie. He and Ziva were chatting and smiling, both proud and excited to be there for the debut of "On Your Six", the name they had just come up with a few days earlier.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, for the last act of the evening please welcome from NCIS, "On Your Six," the MC announced amid applause before exiting the stage.

"Okay, here goes nothing," McGee said with a sigh as gave Tony a reassuring pat on the shoulder before leading him and Palmer out onto the lighted stage as the room again erupted in applause. Palmer, drumsticks in hand, adjusted the stool behind the drum kit to his liking while Tony and McGee plugged into the onstage amplifiers.

After getting nods from both Tony and Palmer, McGee cleared his throat, stepped up to his mic and said, "Thank you. We are On Your Six. Uh, we had planned on playing a couple of tunes for you, but due to an emergency change to our line up, we only have one. It's an original song written by Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo." McGee stepped back from his mic and smiled at Tony, who slowly came forward to stand in front of his mic.

Time seemed to stand still as Tony looked out into the darkness; the bright stage lights making it nearly impossible to make out all but the very first row of tables. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves before saying quietly, "I, uh, wrote this for someone very special to me. I hope you like it; it's called 'Trust in Me, Trust in You'."

Tony closed his eyes and began strumming, filling the room with rich melodic tones. As he played the lighting scene changed bathing Tony in an array of colors. After a four-bar intro, additional stage lights came up gradually as McGee and Palmer joined in and began to play. Tony took a deep breath and began to sing; his rich baritone voice full of emotion.

Gibbs sat stunned as the lyrics washed over him. By the second verse, Gibbs knew deep in his soul that the song - Tony's song - was written about him. Phrases like "sanding away my rough edges" and "I know all of your rules" were thinly veiled attempts to convey a message. He became transfixed watching as Tony's left hand skillfully fingered the frets as his right hand deftly strummed and picked at the strings.

Abby cocked her head and watched Gibbs closely as the realization of what Tony was conveying hit him like a ton of bricks. Abby frowned as Gibbs furrowed his brow as a series of emotions crossed his face; shock, confusion, sadness, and finally understanding and acceptance. She watched him pick up his glass of bourbon with a shaky hand and slowly raise it to his lips, his eyes never leaving Tony as he sang the chorus.

Abby and McGee both knew that Tony harbored deep feelings for Gibbs and had been pining away for him for years. They watched helplessly from the sidelines as Tony, who they both thought of like a big brother, hid behind the carefully constructed playboy persona he had perfected to deflect any suspicion. They both tried to convince Tony to just talk to Gibbs, to get it out in the open come what may, but they both knew he was afraid of losing the close friendship they already had; Gibbs was the one constant in Tony's life he simply could not afford to lose. So Abby and McGee stood by and watched as Tony jumped from one meaningless doomed relationship to another.

Abby, being curious and observant by nature, paid a great deal of attention to Gibbs' interactions with Tony. Over the years, the subtle changes in their relationship only piqued her interest. What everyone else saw as fatherly concern for the younger agent Abby saw as devoted affection and love. The stolen glances, the set of Gibbs' jaw when anyone showed an interest in Tony, the sadness in Gibbs' eyes at any mention of Tony's dates, and Gibbs' hand lingering longer than necessary after delivering head slaps were all the proof she needed. Each on its own might not mean anything, but put them all together and it was clear as day to Abby that Gibbs did indeed have feelings for Tony.

She would never dare ask Gibbs outright, of course; his personal life was strictly off limits and always had been. Being a self-confessed stubborn bastard, Gibbs would just deny his true feelings anyway. Abby, unable to do anything herself to bring them together, asked the Sisters to pray for her friends that they might find their way to each other on their own.

Gibbs looked to his left to see Ziva and Ducky both smiling proudly and swaying in their seats to the music, apparently oblivious to how truly profound Tony's lyrics were. His attention turned back to the stage when Tony stopped singing. He watched as Tony stepped back from the mic and began playing a guitar solo.

Tony's eyes were closed and his head thrown back as he became totally immersed in the music like he was praying through the guitar. Tiny rivulets of sweat ran down Tony's neck and Gibbs couldn't stop the gasp that escaped his lips. Tony's strong and sure fingers bent the strings pulling mournful, powerful notes from the instrument as he lay bare his heart and soul.

Gibbs wanted to run from the raw feelings that were suddenly threatening to come to the surface; feelings that had been buried deep, but apparently not deep enough. For the first time in many, many years, Leroy Jethro Gibbs was scared. His fear was fleeting though and he could almost feel the brick and mortar wall he had so expertly constructed around his heart begin to crumble.

Hearing a soft sob coming from his right, Gibbs glanced over to see Abby looking at him forlornly with tears silently running down her cheeks. She locked her eyes on Gibbs' and slowly nodded. At his questioning look she leaned in and stated softly, "Tony wrote this ... for you. He loves you, Gibbs."

The corner of Gibbs' lip curled up ever so slightly and he released a breath he felt he had been holding for years. He gently brushed Abby's tears away with his knuckle and whispered back to her, "Yeah Abs, I know. I know." He pulled back and nodded at Abby, who grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

Abby smiled at Gibbs through her tears as the song ended. She pulled a black lace handkerchief from her purse and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

Tony looked as physically and emotionally spent as he felt as he sang the last lines:

"_My stubborn pride gets in the way, there is only so much that I can say. I will love you forever, this much is true. Trust in me, I trust in you."_

The song ended with a flourish of guitar riffs and drum fills. When it ended, Tony let his guitar hang by the strap and stepped back looking down at his feet. There was a hushed silence for mere seconds before applause erupted in the room accompanied by shouts and whistles. Tony's head snapped up and he was about to take a bow when he saw out of the corner of his eye one person stand while clapping ... Gibbs! It wasn't long before every other person in the room followed suit for an extended standing ovation.

McGee and Palmer joined Tony at center stage to acknowledge the applause and clapped him on the back, but Tony couldn't do anything but gape at Gibbs. Tony was suddenly light-headed and waited for the floor to come up and meet him; he had to be dreaming, for there was Gibbs smiling at him.

Tony, McGee and Palmer took a bow before McGee stepped up to the mic to thank the crowd. Tony's eyes locked on Gibbs', and his heart nearly stopped when Gibbs nodded at him. He stumbled back a couple of steps, but McGee was there to steady him.

McGee saw the unspoken exchange between his boss and his best friend and couldn't contain a huge smile. "Go Tony," McGee whispered in his ear as he unhooked the strap and took Tony's guitar from him. "Looks like Gibbs got the message loud and clear. Now...go."

Tony turned his head and looked at McGee. It took a few seconds for him to speak, but he finally managed a quiet but sincere, "Thanks, Tim." McGee smiled and nodded in Gibbs' direction again mouthing the word 'go'.

Meanwhile, Ducky clamped a grandfatherly hand on Gibbs' shoulder and with a knowing smirk on his face offered a few words of wisdom, "Jethro my dear friend, I believe our young Anthony has sent you a message. I do hope you received it."

"Yeah Duck, loud and clear," Gibbs said with a crooked grin and a nod, earning a pat on the back from the elderly ME.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I am once again truly overwhelmed by the wonderful comments I have received so far! I would like to thank you all for the support!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters or places. I am making no money from this story. It is for entertainment purposes only, and no copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Ch 2

Tony turned his head and saw Gibbs step away from Ducky and nod to him in the direction of backstage. He nervously nodded back and slowly walked toward the edge of the stage. While he stood and waited for Gibbs, McGee walked up and said, "I'll pack up your gear and drop it off tomorrow." When McGee saw Gibbs walking toward them he patted Tony on the back. "Go. Talk to him. Call me if you need anything."

Palmer walked up to the three of them only to have McGee drag him off toward the stage steps before he had a chance to speak and likely make things even more awkward for Tony. When he passed Gibbs, McGee gave him a knowing nod. Gibbs smirked back and said quietly, "You did good, McGee. You too, Palmer."

"Thanks Boss," McGee replied. "Come on Palmer, let's go." He grabbed a stammering and stuttering Palmer and dragged him down the few steps to the dance floor in front of the stage where they were met by Abby, Ziva and Ducky.

Tony nervously watched McGee and Palmer walk away before slowly turning to face Gibbs, who was still smiling at him. Tony cleared his throat and said timidly, "Um, hey Boss. I, uh, guess I, uh, should explain. You see, ..."

Tony was cut off by the booming voice of the MC coming over the PA to announce the winner of the talent show. To no one's surprise On Your Six was declared the unanimous winner. The room once again erupted in applause and Tony caught sight of McGee and Palmer coming back up the steps.

"Oh my God, Tony. We won! I can't believe it," Palmer exclaimed, beaming with a smile that looked on the edge of painful. "Come on! We have to go out there." McGee just grinned and shrugged getting a chuckle out of Gibbs.

"Go on, Tony. You earned it. I'll be right here," Gibbs said with a fondness that was totally foreign to Tony. Tony grinned then joined his band mates on the stage. A few minutes later Tony rejoined Gibbs carrying a big and fairly cheesy trophy in his hand.

Tony laughed as Gibbs looked at the trophy clutched in his hand. "I feel like Uma Thurman in "Pulp Fiction" after she and John Travolta won the twist contest at Jack Rabbit Slims."

Gibbs just smiled and shook his head ruefully having no clue what the hell Tony was talking about but he was pretty sure it was a movie reference. They stood grinning at each other for what felt like several minutes but was in reality only a matter of seconds. When Tony began to fidget, Gibbs finally spoke. "Tony, I ...," he began before Tony cut him off.

"S'ok, Boss. You don't have to say anything. I'm, uh, sorry if I embarrassed you. I, uh, didn't think you'd show up. I know you hate this shit, and I, uh...," Tony stopped when Gibbs shut him up with a lighter than normal head slap.

"DiNozzo, it's a damn good thing I _did_ show up," Gibbs growled. "If I didn't, I … I wouldn't know," he said calmly and quietly while looking down at his feet. "Look, Tony, I think ... I think we should talk."

Gibbs looked up to see Tony looking back at him, his face contorted with confusion. "So you're ... you're not mad," Tony asked cautiously.

Gibbs smiled warmly and stepped up closer to Tony. "No, Tony. I am definitely _not_ mad. More like flattered and, uh, ... interested," Gibbs said so softly that Tony almost didn't hear him. The blush rising on Gibbs' cheeks was the only indicator that he had indeed heard him correctly.

"Gibbs?" Tony whispered, not believing what he was hearing. He looked Gibbs dead in the eye searching the blue depths for confirmation. "Okay, you're right. We need to talk. When and where?" Tony swallowed hard, almost afraid of the answer.

"Now? How about your place," Gibbs asked nervously. Tony was bemused seeing Gibbs seemingly so unsure of himself, almost vulnerable like a shy high school boy asking the most popular girl at school to the prom. Tony chuckled at the notion that he would play the role of the girl in this particular scenario. "What's so damn funny, DiNozzo?"

"Um, nothing. Just a stupid thought that popped in my head. You know how I get," Tony said with a nervous laugh. "Come on. I just need to grab my stuff then we can go." Tony nodded his head in the direction of the dressing room and Gibbs followed without hesitation.

Tony threw open the door and stopped dead in his tracks. As soon as Gibbs joined him in the doorway Tony burst out laughing at the sight before them. "Groupies? Really Gremlin? And McGee, you naughty, naughty little Probie," Tony scolded teasingly. Behind him Gibbs shot death glares at both Palmer and McGee, who had Ziva and Abby respectively on their laps. Gibbs was almost used to the idea of Abby and McGee being together romantically, but he wasn't used to seeing them acting like an actual couple. Whatever was going on with them it was thankfully kept out of the office. Ziva and Palmer, on the other hand, was a shock to say the least. He tried not to think about it as he glared at Palmer, who looked like he was about to cry.

Tony quickly crossed the small room and gathered up his jacket and backpack as quickly as he could. Gibbs let out a low growl of warning at the sight of the two young women he thought of like daughters in the arms of his junior agent and, well whatever the hell Palmer technically was. Tony couldn't help but laugh again as he grabbed Gibbs by the wrist and dragged him out the door and into the hallway calling out, "You kids behave yourselves now." He was still chortling when they finally reached the parking lot.

"I'm parked around back. I'll meet you at my place in a few," Tony said as he fumbled for his keys in the front pocket of his backpack. He pulled them out and looked up at Gibbs, who was once again smiling at him. Finally getting a curt affirmative nod, Tony turned and headed around to the back of the building where his car was parked.

Gibbs waited until Tony rounded the corner before taking and letting out a cleansing breath in a futile attempt to calm his ragged nerves. He climbed in behind the wheel of his Challenger and waited until he heard the low rumble of Tony's Corvette and saw it head for the exit of the parking lot. Gibbs pulled out and followed wondering if Tony was as nervous as he was.

Tony drummed on the steering wheel along with a song on the radio as he tried to think of what to say to Gibbs, who had obviously figured out that the song was about him. Tony slammed a hand on the steering wheel and cursed himself for letting McGee talk him into performing his song. Was Gibbs going to tell him that he was flattered, but he didn't swing that way? Was he going to ask him to leave the team or transfer him to some ungodly arctic outpost? Wait, didn't Gibbs say he was interested? "Oh dear God," Tony said to himself as a myriad of thoughts flashed through his mind.

Tony pulled into his assigned parking space in front of his building and a moment later Gibbs pulled into the empty space beside him. Both men slowly climbed out and met on the sidewalk in front of their respective cars. Tony nervously chewed on his bottom lip, which Gibbs for some unfathomable reason found completely endearing, not to mention a wee bit sexy.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow and asked, "So, um, are we just gonna stand out here all night?"

Tony rolled his eyes and released his bottom lip to let out a nervous laugh. "Uh, sorry. Come on up."

The elevator ride up to Tony's floor was positively nerve-wracking. Both men fidgeted nervously and tried to avoid making eye contact as the elevator moved at seemingly interminably slow pace. When they finally reached the fifth floor Tony stepped off of the elevator and led Gibbs down the long, wide hallway.

Everyone had expected Tony to have stereotypical bachelor pad apartment, complete with movie posters taped or pinned to the walls, stacks of empty pizza boxes, and piles of skin magazines and porn flicks. They all just assumed that was why Tony never invited any of them over. In truth Tony's apartment was his sanctuary where he could just let go and be himself, without the whole world demanding anything from him. He never brought dates home preferring instead to go to their place. Tony's old apartment was small but tidy and nicely decorated with an eclectic mix of old and new furniture. Tony loved his small homey apartment, but the building was scheduled to be demolished forcing him to find a new place.

After a careful review of his financial situation, Tony decided he had saved enough to put a large down payment on his new top floor condo. It wasn't exactly a penthouse, but it was pretty close. His commute was twenty minutes longer now, but he loved the feeling of actually owning his home instead of just paying rent and not having anything tangible to show for it. He had the freedom to do what he wanted to make the place his own.

Tony unlocked the door and flipped the light switch, bathing the entire open-floor plan in a warm and cozy glow. Pot lots were placed in the ceiling and could be dimmed to suit any mood. A couple of Tiffany lamps on the end tables next to his long brown suede leather couch added to the ambiance. Gibbs stood in the doorway and gaped at the black lacquer baby grand piano sitting in front of the large floor to ceiling windows across the expansive room.

"You just gonna stand there or are you coming in," Tony asked quizzically, his eyes sparkling. "I've got beer in the fridge, or just help yourself to the bourbon," he offered as he motioned over to the oak bar to Gibbs' right.

Gibbs cleared his throat then stepped across the threshold. He shut the door and removed his jacket, which he hung on the solid oak coat rack next to the door. Seeing that Tony had toed out of his shoes Gibbs did the same.

"Nice place you got, DiNozzo. Very nice," Gibbs said as he took in the spacious surroundings. "How long have you been here?"

Tony shrugged, "About four months. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with all the extra space. Come on in and make yourself at home. I'm just gonna grab a beer."

Gibbs looked around as he slowly made his way over to the fully appointed and well-stocked bar across the gleaming solid oak plank floors. He poured himself two fingers of Makers Mark into a cut crystal tumbler then let his eyes sweep around the room as he lifted the drink to his lips. Tony did indeed have classic movie posters on the walls, but they were all professionally framed and looked like pieces of artwork. Gibbs shouldn't have been surprised that Tony had such elegant style and expensive tastes but he was. He knew that Tony had plenty of money in the trust fund left to him when his mother passed away. Gibbs shook his head and wondered why a still young, gorgeous man with a penchant for designer clothing labels and an appreciation of all of the finer things in life chose to stay in law enforcement.

Gibbs was startled when he heard Tony behind him clear his throat. He looked up to see Tony with his head cocked to the side watching him with a furrowed brow. "You okay, Gibbs?"

Gibbs nodded and let a small smile appear on his lips. "Yeah, m'fine. Was just wondering something, that's all."

"Wondering what," Tony asked curiously, cocking his head in the opposite direction.

Waving a hand around, Gibbs said, "Why? Why you still work in law enforcement? Why you still work for me? I know it's sure as hell not for the great pay."

Tony smiled and motioned for Gibbs to have a seat on the couch. Gibbs sat and placed his drink on a waiting coaster on the coffee table. Tony plopped down next to him with his right leg folded under him. "No, it's definitely not for the money. Never has been. I love what I do … I always have. I was always expected to go into business with my dad. You know, follow in the old man's footsteps. I was expected to do a lot of things, but being a cop is all I have ever wanted to be."

Gibbs nodded in understanding. "You're a damn good one too, Tony."

They sipped their drinks and talked about everything except for the elephant in the room. A nervous silence filled the room until Tony's phone rang an hour later. By the techno sound ringtone, Tony knew it was McGee calling to check up on him. Tony rolled his eyes and pulled his phone from his pocket and flipped it open.

"Checking up on me Probie," Tony asked half accusingly. "No. M'fine, I told you. Probie, now is not the best time … I know. I will. Look, I'll call you tomorrow. Yes, mother. Night, Probie." Tony flipped the phone shut and tossed it onto the coffee table. He looked at Gibbs and blushed ever so slightly. "McGee."

Gibbs chuckled. "Yeah, I kind of figured that." He suddenly sobered and asked, "Does he know? I know Abby does but hell she always does."

Tony nodded and picked at the label on his beer bottle. "They've both known … for a long time. Years even. They've been trying to get me to talk to you, to tell you how I feel."

Gibbs cocked his head when Tony finally looked up. "Why didn't you?"

Tony threw his head back and sighed. "How could I? You're … you're Gibbs! You've never, and I mean _never_ given any hint whatsoever that you were attracted to anything other than beautiful, long-legged redheads. _Female_ redheads to be exact. I couldn't tell you. Too afraid," Tony finished with a defeated shrug.

"Afraid? Afraid of what," Gibbs asked.

"Destroying the most important relationship I've ever had. Couldn't risk it," Tony said with sadness in his voice as he dropped his head.

Gibbs tapped a finger under Tony's chin forcing him to look up. Gibbs looked into Tony's eyes and his heart nearly broke at the sadness he saw in them. "You don't have to be afraid, Tony," Gibbs said so softly Tony wasn't sure he heard him. "You can't lose me. We've got a lot to figure out, but I'd like to try. Look, there's a lot about me that you don't know. I'm also guessing there's a lot about you, a whole different side to you that I don't know at all."

Tony nodded again. "Yeah, you're probably right. Gibbs … Jethro, if you want to try then so do I. I'm scared, but I want to try."

Gibbs smiled warmly and said, "Okay then. How about dinner tomorrow night? You pick where you wanna go, my treat."

Tony let out a nervous laugh. "You mean, a date? Like a real date?"

Gibbs grabbed Tony's hand and squeezed it. "Yeah, DiNozzo, a real date. Isn't that usually how it works when people want to get to know each other? Look, I don't want to rush anything. You're right; there's too much at stake."

Gibbs finished off his drink then stood and headed for the door and grabbed his jacket off of the coatrack. "I don't want to take a chance of screwing everything up by trying too hard or going too fast."

Tony stood and walked over looking curiously at Gibbs. "You won't. You're Gibbs," Tony said as if that explained everything.

Gibbs huffed out a laugh and ran his knuckles down Tony's cheek. "Maybe, but in a relationship … I'm just Jethro. I'm different when I'm with someone I really care about. Like I said, there's a lot you don't know about me."

They stood and stared at each other for several moments before Tony finally plucked up the courage to ask, "Gibbs? May I kiss you goodnight?"

Gibbs smirked and placed his hand on the back of Tony's neck. "I'd like that, but only if you call me Jethro."

Tony smiled and whispered, "Jethro," just seconds before their lips met in a tentative first kiss. What the kiss lacked in unbridled passion it more than conveyed affection and an unspoken promise of more.

Gibbs broke the kiss and smiled at Tony, whose eyes were now flashing with happiness. Tony smiled back looking almost bashful. Gibbs shook his head to break the spell. "I guess I owe Abby a dozen black roses for making me go tonight. Maybe two dozen," Gibbs said with a chuckle.

"We'll each get her a dozen," Tony said with a laugh.

Gibbs nodded and turned the doorknob to leave. He opened the door then stopped and turned back with a serious expression on his face, "You were really amazing up there on that stage tonight, Tony. I had no idea you were such an accomplished musician. I'm really proud of you."

Tony swallowed hard and said softly, "Thanks, Jethro. Goodnight."

* * *

Gibbs downed a full pot of strong coffee in record time the next morning. It was late when he got home and despite how tired he was, Gibbs only managed to get a couple of hours of disturbed sleep. Thoughts of Tony and last night's revelations ran through his mind. On the one hand, Gibbs was overjoyed at the prospect of building a romantic relationship with Tony. On the other hand, he was suddenly apprehensive and wondered if maybe it was a horrible idea.

It troubled Gibbs deeply that in reality he really didn't know Tony at all. He knew the Tony DiNozzo that showed up at NCIS every day cracking jokes, playing pranks on McGee while managing to be one of the best damn investigators Gibbs had ever seen in action. He was a top-notch professional when it came to the job, tirelessly working to find that one missing piece that more times than not broke a case wide open.

The Tony he saw last night was a complete stranger to him, an enigma of sorts. As much as it would break his own heart, Gibbs knew that he would have to end whatever this thing was with Tony before it even got started. Quite simply, Tony was from a world to which Gibbs did not belong.

Gibbs always saw the fancy designer suits as armor that Tony wore to protect himself. He always seemed more confident and more at ease than he did on more casual dress days. It dawned on Gibbs sometime around 0230 in the morning that the Armani and Gucci-clad Tony was the real deal, and that the more carefree, casual Tony was the deflection. Gibbs was struck with a sudden pang of sadness knowing that a simple man like himself was way out of Tony's league.

After finally dragging himself upstairs for a shower, Gibbs spent a few hours down in the basement wallowing in self-pity and wondering if by the end of the night he would lose Tony forever. He didn't see any way that Tony would still want to work with him or even speak to him and he couldn't blame him. Cleaning up his workbench didn't offer the distraction he had hoped, and in frustration Gibbs picked up one of his many sanding blocks and threw it across the room where it splintered into a hundred pieces after hitting the cinderblock wall.

"Whoa, Jethro! What the hell," a familiar voice called out from halfway down the basement stairs. "Diane call you or something?"

Gibbs turned and glared at his friend Tobias Fornell as he descended the stairs before letting out an exasperated sigh. _"Great, this is all I need right now,"_ Gibbs thought before actually barking out, "Tobias, what the hell do you want?"

"Nice to see you too," Fornell shot back sarcastically as he walked over and dumped out a small Mason jar full of nails, blowing the dust out of it before pouring a generous amount of bourbon in it from the bottle that lived on the workbench. He pulled a sawhorse from against the wall and sat down with his drink.

Gibbs crossed his arms across his chest and asked, "Comfy, Tobias?"

"I'm good. What the fuck is your problem," Fornell asked curiously, wondering what could possibly be bugging his friend.

"Nothing," Gibbs lied before pouring bourbon into the old coffee mug he usually drank from. "Didn't get any sleep last night."

"Uh huh. Well, I know you didn't get laid last night. If you had you wouldn't be acting like an asshole right now. So tell me, what happened with DiNutso," Fornell asked casually with a hint of a smirk curling on his lips. At Gibbs' death glare, Fornell held up a placating hand and said, "Sorry, I meant DiNozzo."

"What the hell are you talking about," Gibbs asked. "Nothing happened with …Tony. What makes you think …?"

"Bullshit!" Fornell yelled. "I may not be the greatest investigator on the planet, but I sure as hell know what I saw last night! It was pretty fucking obvious to me. Something's going on with you two and, by the way, he looked fucking hot as hell up on that stage."

Gibbs was struck by a pang of jealousy at the thought of anyone, especially Tobias Fornell, lusting after Tony. His fists clenched at his sides and his eyes flashing was all the confirmation Fornell needed. "Yeah, I thought that'd get rise out of you. Come on, Jethro. We've been friends too damn long. Talk to me," Fornell offered sincerely as he refilled both of their drinks.

* * *

Across town Tony wasn't much better off. He had taken a hot shower after Gibbs left and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Despite crashing hard after last night's adrenaline rush wore off, Tony woke up at 3:00 and stared at the bedroom ceiling as unsettling thoughts plagued his mind.

What did Gibbs mean when he said there was a lot I didn't know about him? He said he's different when he's with someone he really cares about. Does that mean me? What is he hiding? What the hell did he mean by I have a different side he doesn't know at all? Was starting something with Gibbs really a good idea? What if things didn't work out? Would they still be able to work together? Could they still be friends? Should I just end it before it even starts?

Tony gave up trying to fall back to sleep so he got up and headed to the living room to watch TV hoping he would be able to nod off during whatever infomercial was on at that ungodly hour. At 7:30, after catching a couple hours of sleep Tony changed into his running gear for his daily five-mile run. He headed to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and grabbed a bottle of water out of his refrigerator. After a good fifteen minutes of stretching, Tony grabbed his phone and keys and headed out into the crisp early morning air. Tony had discovered that he could work out a lot of his problems while running and welcomed the opportunity to clear his mind. Normally he would grab his iPod and ear buds and run to the beat of his favorite blues and jazz artists, but today he wanted the solitude running provided. Tony waved at the few familiar people he encountered as he ran is usual route at a relaxed pace.

Two miles into his run Tony became aware of another person running just behind and to the left of him, their footfalls matching his stride for stride. The well-used running and bicycle path cut through a park and along the Potomac River. Tony grew annoyed with each passing minute and he suddenly stopped and rounded on the person following him. His green eyes shot open when they met the gray-green eyes of the tall, blonde-haired man smiling while jogging in place in front of him. Tony slammed his eyes shut and shook his head in disbelief.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you again for all of the alerts, PMs and reviews! This chapter contains a couple of flashbacks as we learn more about Tony's past.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters or places. I am making no money from this story. It is for entertainment purposes only, and no copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Ch 3

"_Are you fucking kidding me?" _Tony thought to himself as he glared at his unwelcome running companion.

"What … what are you doing here?" Tony demanded rather coldly. He was on a mission to find a sense of peace and work out some of his insecurities about Gibbs, and an unexpected meeting with his nemesis sure wasn't going to help. Stan Burley was the last person he expected or wanted to see right now.

The first time Tony saw Stan had been a shock to say the least. It was seven years ago when Gibbs agreed to help Stan with an investigation on board the USS Enterprise where he was serving as NCIS Agent Afloat. Two members of the flight deck crew had overdosed on methamphetamine that had been disguised as ordinary caffeine "pep pills", and one of them died as a result. It was made abundantly clear that Stan was a popular figure during his tenure as Gibbs' partner. Abby couldn't stop talking about how great he was and even Ducky chimed in with a few fond recollections of him. Tony's insecurities rose to the surface as he listened to the continuous adulation and dreaded the prospect of even meeting the man, whose legend he couldn't possibly hope to equal. Stan had presumably left the recently created MCRT to get out from Gibbs' iron-fisted control and transferred a couple of months before Tony was recruited away from the Baltimore PD by Gibbs to replace him. Gibbs didn't say much about Stan, but it was pretty obvious to Tony that he was looking forward to working with him again.

_Flashback – September, 2006:_

_Tony and the team gathered in MTAC and waited for a preliminary status report on Stan's investigation. When the MTAC feed went live Stan suddenly appeared in front of them larger than life. Tony's eyes went wide and he bit his lip to cut off a threatened gasp of shock, for there on the screen was not NCIS Special Agent Stan Burley but the man Tony knew intimately as Steve Barton. _

_Gibbs noticed the reaction out of the corner of his eye. He turned and looked at Tony, who was obviously shaken if the quivering pen in his right hand was anything to go by. Instead of standing shoulder to shoulder with Gibbs as he normally did during an MTAC briefing Tony sat in one of the front row seats directly behind Gibbs, almost as if he was trying to hide. Gibbs furrowed his brow and made a mental note to observe Tony closely when they got out to the carrier. Something about his SFA was off, but right now wasn't the time or the place to focus on Tony's suddenly odd behavior. _

_The arrester hook landing was nerve wracking enough but not nearly as bad as the prospect of facing Steve again after more than a decade. Tony hadn't slept much the night before the team was scheduled to hop a flight out to the carrier and it showed. Noticing Tony's uncharacteristic quiet demeanor and the dark circles under his eyes, Kate and McGee both asked Tony if he was feeling all right. Tony did his best to assure him that he was fine, however his stomach was positively in knots at the thought that Stan/Steve might accidently or intentionally out him and tell Gibbs about their relationship. _

_Stan met the team on the deck and introductions were made. Kate was instantly charmed by Stan and passed on fond greetings from Abby and Ducky. McGee could only nod as he popped another Dramamine in his mouth and dry swallowed it. Gibbs smiled and shook Stan's hand seemingly delighted to see him again. Tony hung back but gave a curt nod and politely shook Stan's hand when Gibbs introduced them. Thankfully, Gibbs failed to notice the spark that flashed in Stan's eyes as he shook Tony's hand a bit longer than necessary. Tony swallowed hard and pulled his hand away._

_Tony was in equal measures grateful and jealous that Gibbs had partnered up with Stan during the investigation. On the one hand he felt slighted since he was Gibbs' SFA, but Kate assured him that it was only because it was Stan's case so naturally he was the lead investigator. She reminded him that they were there strictly to provide assistance and to help conduct all of the necessary crew interviews. On the other hand, however, Tony had been dreading spending any time at all in close quarters with Stan. McGee noticed that Tony retreated a few steps and took a defensive posture any time Stan was around. _

"_Hey, Tony, you okay," McGee asked quietly the first chance he got when Gibbs and Stan left to talk to the Air Boss. "You seem a little … freaked out."_

_Tony took a deep breath and said tiredly, "I'm fine, Probie. Just tired and I hate being stuck here packed into little spaces. I don't know how anyone can spend time on a ship and not go crazy. I guess we better start interviewing the flight crew before Gibbs gets back. Kate, think you can find your own way? I need you to talk to the officer in charge of administering the piss tests while McGee and I interview the flight deck crew." Getting an affirmative nod from Kate, Tony turned to leave with McGee hot on his heels._

_The next afternoon Tony had just finished interviewing some of the medical staff and copying the dead crewman's medical file. He was on his way to report back to Gibbs when he ran into Stan on a narrow walkway overlooking the flight deck. Tony couldn't move past him unnoticed to reach the stairs going down to the deck level so he stood and waited hoping that Stan would move from where he was standing with his hands securely gripping the railing. _

_Stan slowly turned his head and smiled warmly at Tony. "How've you been, T? I was, uh, wondering if we were ever going get a chance to talk. It's good to see you. It's been a long time … too long." A frowning Tony just blinked and made no attempt to answer._

_Stan sighed and ran a hand through his hair before standing to fully face Tony. "God, you look great!" Stan exclaimed breathily. "You look exactly the same as you did when we…," he was cut off when Tony raised a hand._

"_Stan or I guess I should probably call you __**Steve,**__ don't!" Tony's heart was pounding now that the inevitable confrontation had begun. "Jesus! Imagine my surprise when you showed up on the screen in MTAC!" _

_Realization set in and Tony narrowed his eyes. "But you knew I worked for Gibbs didn't you, you son of a bitch? You knew I'd be on this case. You fucking set me up!" Tony declared accusingly through gritted teeth as his anger built. _

"_Look T, Gibbs and I have stayed in touch and that's why I called him for help. After all, he's the best. But yeah, I knew you were on his team. He talks about you a lot and says you're the best damn SFA and investigator he's ever worked with." Stan suddenly barked out a laugh and shook his head. "You know what's funny though? For the first two years I worked with Gibbs he always called me Steve. Don't know why he couldn't remember my name, but every time he called me Steve … I … I thought of you."_

_Tony got up the courage to step up so that he was toe to toe with Stan. "Yeah, real funny," he said menacingly. "Were you ever planning on telling me your __**real**__ name? What, Tony DiNozzo not quite good enough for the great Stan freaking Burley, or Steve Barton, or whatever the hell your name is? Oh wait … of course I wasn't, how stupid of me! I figured that had to be your reason to keep cheating on me." There, it was out in the open._

_Tony smirked when all of the color drained out of Stan's face. "Yeah, didn't think I knew about that did 'ya? Derek and I talked when he came to visit one weekend a couple months after I left. He's my frat brother's cousin, you know. He told me all about the two of you, how you guys fucked on a fairly regular basis when 'ol Tony wasn't around. I left that night after walking in on you fucking him over the couch. Got off work early to surprise you, but I guess the big joke was on me, huh?" Tony waited for a reply, and when it wasn't forthcoming he shook his head and huffed. "All right look, whatever. I gotta go find Gibbs. We have __**your**__ case to solve, remember? I'm outta here," Tony said with disgust as he shoved Stan aside so he could get past him. He stopped suddenly when Stan grabbed his wrist as he tried to make his escape and pulled him in close._

_Speaking directly into Tony's ear, Stan whispered, "That's why you left without even saying goodbye? I went looking for you everywhere that night when you didn't come home. I called Mark the next morning and he told me you just came in and quit, that you just grabbed your stuff and took off without any explanation. Jesus, T, I missed you … so much. I never meant to lie to you or hurt you. I only used a different name when hooking up because of work. I'm sorry. You're right. I should have told you my real name. Look, you have to know that Derek never meant anything to me, he was just there. __**You**__ were the one I really wanted. I kept waiting for you but you never came back. God, I loved you, T! I think I always will." It took all of Stan's control not to grab kiss Tony senseless right then and there._

_Tony responded by jerking his arm out of Stan's grasp and with a shrug stating plainly, "Doesn't matter now does it? It's been what, 13 years? I got over it and you pretty damn quick and moved on. Now, get the hell out of my way so we can wrap up this case and I can get off of this fucking ship and away from you."_

_Twenty four hours later, Stan and Gibbs were exchanging brotherly hugs and saying their goodbyes on the flight deck as the team prepared for the trip home. The case had been solved and Tony practically bolted for the plane without even acknowledging Stan. Kate called out a goodbye and waved to Stan over her shoulder as she ran to catch up with Tony to board the plane. McGee and Gibbs boarded a few minutes later and both of them eyed Tony curiously. Gibbs' famous gut told him that something had happened between Tony and Stan despite the fact they hadn't worked together during the investigation. Tony couldn't or wouldn't look him in the eye, which was a sure sign that he was definitely hiding something._

_End Flashback_

"God, you're looking good," Stan said as he openly leered at Tony's sweaty form before stepping closer. "I'm on leave while the Reagan is in port. I was planning on stopping by to talk to Vance and see if there are any open positions in D.C. I think eight years being Agent Afloat is long enough, don't you?"

Tony grinned politely but took a couple of steps back to keep plenty of distance between them. He crossed his arms over his chest and stated, "That doesn't explain why you're following me."

"I wasn't following you. I just happened to be out for a run and saw you. I thought maybe we could go grab some breakfast or just a coffee and talk. It's been a long time, T," Stan said in a tone bordering on fondness.

"Don't call me that," Tony snapped harshly. "It was a long time ago ... and obviously a huge mistake."

Stan furrowed his brow and asked, "Was it that terrible? Look, T ... sorry, Tony, I know it was a long time ago. We were both pretty young but I can never forget what we had. It was the best couple of months of my life."

Tony shook his head and sighed. "No, it wasn't all terrible, just a big mistake like I said. It's done; it's ancient history. Look, I really have to go," Tony stated before turning to walk away.

"T," Stan called out. "Are you seeing anyone now? I thought maybe, you know, we could go out if you're not busy."

Tony angrily rounded on Stan and yelled, "Stop calling me T! And yes, as a matter of fact I **am** seeing someone. Someone really special who I know for a fact won't lie to me, cheat on me, or treat me like shit." Tony took a moment to calm his now ragged breathing before continuing more calmly. "Besides, I don't think you and I have anything to talk about. I said my peace a long time ago and there's nothing more to say. Oh, and by the way, there aren't any openings on any of the D.C. teams. Sorry." Tony shot Stan a cheeky grin before quickly turning and running off at a brisk pace. He wanted and needed to get as far away from Stan Burley as he could.

A stunned Stan watched Tony run away until he was out of sight. He had expected Tony to be surprised to see him but he was not prepared for such an icy reception. It was obvious that their past meant more to him than it did to Tony, and that his former lover was still harboring a great deal of resentment toward him. Stan pulled out his phone and dialed the number of the one person he knew he could talk to for some much needed advice. He shuffled his feet nervously as he waited for the expected gruff greeting. "Oh, hey Boss! It's Burley. Yeah, I'm in town for a few days. You busy right now? I need your advice about something. Sure. I can be there in say an hour? Great, I'll see you then."

* * *

Tony was physically and emotionally wrung out by the time he got back to his place. Seeing Stan had rattled him more than he wanted to admit. Stan by himself wasn't the problem, per se, but the secret they shared was. If anyone, especially Gibbs, found out his life would for all intents and purposes be over. Tony toed out of is running shoes then headed for his gourmet kitchen. He grabbed a fresh bottle of water from the refrigerator and drank half of it while leaning against the counter. He took a deep breath and sat the bottle down on the granite countertop before heading down the short hallway to his bathroom.

He flipped the light switch then peeled off his sweaty running clothes and tossed them in the hamper. He turned on the water in the large glass-enclosed tiled shower and stepped inside. Tony placed his hands on the tile wall and groaned as the hot water ran over his skin soothing his tightened muscles, and he could feel the tension slowly leave his body. The massage setting on the showerhead worked its magic and he began to relax, until he was suddenly haunted by memories of the summer he spent with Steve in Pittsburgh all those years ago.

_Flashback – Chicago August, 1993:_

_After making a clean escape out of Pittsburgh, Tony spent the next two weeks trying to get over his heartbreak and humiliation. Unable to return to the frat house due to extensive restoration work being done on the house that summer, Tony ended up in Chicago. There was just something about big cities that attracted Tony to them and Chicago was one of his favorites. You could be surrounded at any given time by dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people and still find solitude among them. Tony parked his car in an underground long-term parking lot downtown, bought a CTA card, and hopped on the first train that pulled into the Lake Street stop, which took him north of the downtown district. _

_Tony only carried his gym bag with a couple of changes of clothes and his toiletries with him. He had no idea where he was going to stay, but he had plenty of cash in his wallet from his wages and tips from his summer job to tide him over. As he walked he began to notice rainbow signage seemingly everywhere, including on the lamp posts lining the street. He shook his head and chuckled to himself when he realized that he had inadvertently stumbled into the middle of an obviously gay-friendly neighborhood. When he got hungry he stepped into a small nondescript restaurant to grab a bite. Someone had left that day's newspaper behind, so Tony picked it up and began looking at the want ads to see if he could find a room for rent. _

_A waitress named Becky came over and struck up a conversation as she took Tony's order. Once she placed the order, she came back with the iced tea he had ordered and sat in the chair across the table from him. Introductions were made and pleasantries exchanged. By the time Tony's BLT was ready, Becky had given him the number for her cousin who had a room for rent in his brownstone two blocks up the street. Tony was relieved when she offered to place the call for him, and within an hour he had a place to stay until it was time to head back to Ohio State._

_Tony hung out until Becky's shift ended at 3:00 and walked with her to her cousin's house. She told him all about Peter, who worked downtown as an investment banker. Peter was well off and didn't need the money, but he rented out one of his extra bedrooms so that the house wouldn't feel so empty. His lover of fifteen years, Thomas, had passed away the year before and Peter liked having someone around to talk to and fill the void._

_Tony and Peter hit it off immediately and struck a deal. Over Tony's famous spaghetti one evening, they talked about everything from sports to current events to their personal lives. Tony was hesitant to talk about Steve, but Peter figured out pretty quickly that Tony was nursing a broken heart and got him to open up. Later that night Peter took Tony out to a couple of the local dance clubs to help get his mind off of Steve. When he introduced Tony to his circle of friends he subtly let them all know that Tony had just had a bad break up and wasn't looking for anything with anyone. Tony was grateful to have a friend watching his back who didn't expect anything from him._

_Tony's two weeks in Chicago flew by and with great sadness he hugged Peter goodbye. He stopped by the restaurant for a quick breakfast wanting to say goodbye and thank Becky for all she did to help him. Tony had always made a point of stopping in for lunch and chatting with Becky on her break. He was relieved when he arrived back at the parking garage a couple of hours later to find his car in one piece and undamaged. After paying the exorbitant parking fee, Tony drove out of the underground parking garage into the bright sunlight feeling more hopeful and relaxed after his all too brief stay in Chicago. By sundown he would be back in his room at the frat house with a wealth of both good and bad memories from his summer adventures and a whole new outlook on life._

_End Flashback_

The sudden feel of rapidly cooling water broke Tony out of his thoughts. He turned the faucet to full hot, but only ended up with barely tolerable warm water. He quickly finished his shower then dried off with an oversized thick fluffy towel. Dressed in an old pair of Ohio State sweat pants and an NCIS sweatshirt, Tony snatched a pair of thick socks from his dresser and headed to the kitchen. The digital clock on the built-in microwave over the large gourmet cooktop read 10:30.

Tony rummaged through the refrigerator and tried to decide on something for breakfast. Normally he would treat himself to a ham, mushroom, and cheese omelet, but today he didn't feel like cooking or eating. He settled on a couple of slices of wheat toast with strawberry jam, a banana, a small glass of orange juice, and several cups of coffee.

Tony needed something to occupy his mind to keep his thoughts from wandering back to Stan/Steve. He curled up on the couch and picked up the Greek history book he had started reading a couple of months ago but found he couldn't concentrate. He tossed the book back on the coffee table and sighed. He leaned against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. He felt himself smile as he replayed the events of last night. The idea of Gibbs wanting to explore an actual relationship with him was overwhelming but at the same time oddly comforting. Tony suddenly began to panic at the thought of Gibbs finding out about his past history with the great Stan Burley. _"Should I just tell him? Fuck, what if Stan ends up staying in DC? Shit!"_

Tony paced around the living room for several minutes before picking up his cell phone. He knew that any relationship with Gibbs was going to have to be based on absolute trust and honesty, but how could he possibly tell him about him and Stan? He repeatedly turned the phone over and over in his hand as he contemplated calling Gibbs to cancel their date when it suddenly rang. "Gibbs" appeared on the caller ID, and Tony sent up a silent prayer that it meant they were getting called in for a case that would effectively cancel their date for him.

"Hey Boss," Tony answered in a tone that sounded more hopeful than he intended. "We get a case?"

Gibbs chuckled on the other end of the line, "Nope, no case. You were hoping for one, DiNozzo?"

Tony snorted out a laugh, "Um, no not really. I'm just not used to getting social calls from you."

"Are you busy?" Gibbs asked, sounding uncharacteristically nervous.

Tony smiled and said, "Nope, not busy. Went for a run and now I need to head out for a while to run some errands. What's up?"

"I know we have a date for dinner tonight, but I was kind of hoping to see you before then," Gibbs almost whispered into the phone.

Tony's smile grew and he chuckled. "Well, I'll tell you what. I just need a couple of hours to take care of some things, then I can come over and you can show me how to build the boat, or whatever it is your working on now. I'll bring clothes to change into for later."

Gibbs laughed and said, "Sounds like a plan. I'll see you soon, Tony."

* * *

Tony didn't pay much attention to the nondescript dark blue sedan with a rental company sticker in the back window parked on the street in front of Gibbs' house when he pulled into the long driveway behind Gibbs' Challenger. The closer he got to the front door, however, a sense of unease settled over him. He took a deep breath and opened the door only to find Stan Burley once again standing there smiling at him.

"Hey Tony, good to see you … again," Stan said as his eyes once again scanned Tony's long frame.

"Where's Gibbs," Tony demanded with a deep frown as he barged past Stan and made his way into the house and headed in the direction of the kitchen.

"He's on the phone with his dad. Tony, relax will you? I was just getting ready to leave," Stan said defensively. Seeing a combination of fear and anger flashing in Tony's eyes, Stan said quietly, "Don't worry. I didn't tell him anything about you and me. I just needed some advice, that's all."

Gibbs picked that moment to walk into the living room to find his former partner and current SFA locked in a staring contest; Stan smirking slightly and Tony glaring. He cleared his throat and asked, "Am I interrupting something?"

Tony plastered on his brightest fake smile and said cheerfully, "Not a thing, Boss. Burley here was just leaving." He then headed for the kitchen to grab a couple of bottles of beer.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at Tony before turning to Stan and shaking his hand, "Always good to see you Stan. I'll talk to Vance on Monday and see if there's anything open."

Stan caught sight of Tony out of the corner of his eye and said, "Appreciate it. You know, I still keep expecting you to call me Steve, Boss." He smirked when Tony coughed after choking on the sip of beer he had just taken.

Gibbs stepped over and patted Tony on the back. "You okay, DiNozzo?"

Tony nodded and managed to mutter, "M'fine," while again glaring at Stan. "Just went down the wrong pipe."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: The site's notification system went down after I posted the last chapter in case you missed it. My continued and sincere thanks for all of your reviews, PMs and feedback on this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters or places. I am making no money from this story. It is for entertainment purposes only, and no copyright infringement is intended.

I still do not have a beta, so please forgive any silly typos/mistakes!

* * *

Ch 4

By the set of his shoulders and the thin beads of sweat forming on his furrowed brow despite the relative cool of the basement, Gibbs could tell that something was troubling Tony. From years of experience, however, he knew that trying to force Tony to talk when he wasn't ready was sure to backfire, so Gibbs waited patiently and watched Tony's expressions change as he worked through whatever was bothering him. Whatever it was it had to be serious because Tony hadn't uttered so much as a single word in nearly an hour as they worked on opposite sides of the boat.

Gibbs sat the planer down on the workbench behind him and walked around the hull of the boat to where Tony was absently sanding one of the exposed ribs. Gibbs grinned as he watched him work, happy to see that despite being distracted Tony was sanding with the grain as he had been taught. Tony was so deep in thought that he jumped slightly when Gibbs placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, you okay, DiNozzo," Gibbs asked quietly not wanting to further startle Tony.

Tony stopped sanding and slowly turned to face Gibbs. "Yeah, just a little tired. Didn't get much sleep last night," Tony said while trying to force a smile.

Gibbs cocked his head and furrowed his brow. "Tony, are you having second thoughts," he asked nervously, dreading the answer he might get.

Tony sighed then shook his head. "No! I might be a little nervous or scared maybe, well terrified actually, but definitely _not_ having second thoughts. Look Gibbs, I've been thinking. I have a lot a baggage that I'm sure you're not going to want to deal with. And my past is, well let's just say …," a wide-eyed Tony stopped when Gibbs gently placed an index finger over his lips.

"First, it's Jethro when we're alone and second I have plenty of baggage of my own. There are some things I'm not really proud of and a few regrets along the way. I'm sure you do too, and that's why I want to take things slow. Get all of our collective shit out in the open," Gibbs said before placing his hands on each side of Tony's face and leaning in to give Tony a sweet reaffirming chaste kiss before pulling back to search the beautiful emerald green eyes before him.

Tony nodded and whispered meekly, "I just don't want anything to screw this up."

Gibbs tapped Tony under the chin and said, "Me either. We'll work it out. Don't worry." He checked his watch then affectionately patted Tony on the cheek. "Now, whadya say we work for another hour then get changed for dinner?"

Tony favored Gibbs with a genuine smile and nodded in the affirmative before picking up the sander and moving over to the next rib. He wiped his sweaty brow with the sleeve of his sweatshirt then blew out a long shaky breath and got back to losing himself in the sanding. Half an hour later, Tony suddenly broke the comfortable silence and asked, "So, what did Burley need your advice about anyway?"

Without looking at Tony, Gibbs continued working and stated plainly, "He just wanted my advice on rekindling an old flame he ran into this morning." At the sound of the sanding block hitting the floor, Gibbs looked up and saw Tony visibly pale before his eyes. He tossed the planer onto the workbench and scampered around the boat to get to Tony, who had begun to sway and looked like he was about to faint. "DiNozzo … Tony, you all right? Come here and sit down." Gibbs made a quick assessment before wrapping a strong arm around Tony's waist to keep him on his feet.

Tony was in equal parts shocked and moved by Gibbs' concern for him and allowed himself to be led over to the stairs. Tony sat on the third step and dropped his head into his hands with a groan. "Fuck," Tony growled through gritted teeth as his past threatened to collide with his present, and more than likely his future. "Jethro, please don't hate me," Tony plead desperately.

Gibbs immediately sat down next to Tony and wrapped a protective arm around his shoulders. "Jesus, Tony, what is it? You can tell me, you know that, right?"

Tony swallowed hard then turned so that he was facing Gibbs. He looked into Gibbs' eyes as he summoned the courage to speak. "I'm the old flame," Tony finally said softly before lowering his gaze and turning his face away in shame. The last thing he wanted to see was the anger, disgust and rejection that was sure to be in Gibbs' blue eyes.

Fully expecting Gibbs to yell at him and order him to get out of his house and out of his life, Tony's head snapped up when he heard Gibbs sigh and mutter sadly, "I knew it. Years ago … I knew there was something." Gibbs paused for a moment to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in this throat. "Tony, please look at me."

When their eyes met again, Gibbs gave Tony a tight smile. "The case on the Reagan. My gut told me something had happened between the two of you. I had no clue what. You never said anything when we got back so I just let it go. T, uh, did something happen between you and Stan," Gibbs asked.

Looking at Gibbs with sad pleading eyes Tony said, "Oh God, Jethro, please don't call me T. That's what he called me. Look, nothing happened on the ship, I swear to God. It was a _long_ time before that. Gibbs … Jethro this just may be a deal breaker but I owe you the whole story. You deserve to know everything, but first I _really_ need a drink."

Gibbs snorted then stood and pulled Tony to his feet. "I've got a brand new bottle of Jack upstairs in the kitchen. Come on. I have a feeling we're both gonna need it," Gibbs said with a chuckle as he led Tony up the stairs, never once letting go of his hand.

Tony sat across from Gibbs and recounted how he met the man he knew as Steve Barton and the short-lived, ill-fated relationship they had that summer. He held nothing back and told Gibbs everything about how he had fallen in love for the first and only time in his life. After a couple of generous shots of Jack, Tony then told Gibbs about the confrontation on the Reagan.

"Imagine my surprise to find out that the great Stan Burley everyone kept gushing about turned out to be my first and _only_ boyfriend. Shit Jethro, when he came on the screen in MTAC that day I didn't know what the hell to do. I knew I couldn't tell you about him. I mean, what would be the point? I tried to avoid him and just do my job, but he cornered me and said he wanted to talk. I told him we didn't have anything to talk about and that I just wanted to get off the ship and away from him. I figured that was the end of it. Then this morning there he was, out of the blue, following me through the park. The son of a bitch even had the nerve to ask me out!" Tony exclaimed before tossing back the last of the bourbon in his glass.

Tony then got up and pulled a glass down from the cupboard and filled it with water from the tap. He didn't think that more alcohol right now was a good idea, especially on an empty stomach. He returned to the table and sat down next to Gibbs instead of across from his as he had been.

Gibbs turned his head to meet Tony's gaze and stated sadly, "And now he wants you back." Gibbs had heard Stan's version of the story earlier, complete with his admission that he had never gotten over his love for "one really special guy". Except for leaving out Tony's name, their versions of the story were identical.

* * *

Earlier that day:

Gibbs opened the front door and gave Stan a crooked smile.

"Come on in. Good to see you, Stan," Gibbs said as he shook Stan's hand. "Want some coffee?"

"Uh, sure, Boss," Stan replied nervously as he looked around the living room before following Gibbs into the kitchen. Everything about Gibbs' house looked exactly the same as it had the last time he was there several years ago. Stan had figured that there would be another Mrs. Gibbs by now, but the house showed absolutely no signs of a woman's touch.

Gibbs directed Stan to take a seat at the kitchen table while he poured two cups of coffee. They spent the next half hour laughing and talking about work and getting caught up on each other's life. Gibbs didn't think too much of it but Stan seemed to be full of questions about his team, especially about Tony. Once the customary pleasantries were out of the way, Gibbs checked his watch before asking over the rim of his steaming mug, "So what did you need my advice about, Stan?"

Stan set his mug down and sighed nervously. "Well, about a couple of things actually. Um, first I was thinking of talking to the Director about transferring to D.C. Maybe join a team here if I can. I'd really like to have a place to call home for a change, you know, something more permanent. I've been bounced around between temporary field assignments and ships long enough. I think it's time to find someone and settle down. Not easy to do onboard a Navy ship. Think you can put in a good word for me with Vance?"

Gibbs was surprised by the request. Stan seemed to have one exciting story after another about his travels abroad and always made it sound like he was living his dream. Gibbs gave a noncommittal shrug and said, "Well, I can try. I don't have the best relationship with Vance right now, but I can talk to him for you."

"Thanks, Boss. I really appreciate it," Stan said quietly as he swirled the coffee around in his mug.

"You said there were a couple of things. What else is on your mind Stan," Gibbs queried.

"I ran into one of my exes this morning. He and I were together a long time ago and I'd really like to see him again. He was … is, one really special guy, Gibbs. I know for a fact that he's single, but apparently still pissed off over our breakup and I don't know what I can do to fix it," Stan answered with a shrug.

Gibbs let his head fall back and he laughed. "I've been through three divorces now, so I don't think I'm the best one to be giving you relationship advice. What happened with this guy anyway?"

Stan told Gibbs about discovering his bisexuality and the summer he spent in Pittsburgh with Tony. He left out very few details while at the same time being extremely careful not to use Tony's name. He smiled as he thought back to what it meant to him to actually be in love with someone who loved him in return. When he was finished he got up to refill both his and Gibbs' mugs.

"God, I really loved him. I don't think I'll ever be totally over losing him. But, I guess you could say I literally fucked up in a big way, and he still resents me for it," Stan said sadly with his back to Gibbs while he poured the coffee.

"Do you think," Gibbs asked incredulously. "You're damn lucky! If it had been me walking in on you I would have beat the shit out of you instead of just leaving. Yeah Stan, I'd say you royally screwed the pooch," Gibbs barked when a startled Stan turned to face him. Stan's eyebrows shot up at the death glare directed at him and the venom in Gibbs' words. It was definitely not the reaction Stan had expected from his friend.

Gibbs had been cheated on by two of his three ex-wives so he had no sympathy for Stan cheating on the man he claimed to love so much. "You lied to him and cheated on him, more than once, and you got caught. Don't you think that after, what, twenty goddam years just maybe it's time you let him go and move on?"

Stan dropped down into his chair and was about to rebut Gibbs' obvious disgust with him when the land line phone rang. Gibbs glared at Stan before getting up and answering on the fourth ring. "Yeah, Gibbs. Dad? Yeah, I've got company but I can talk for a few minutes. Something wrong?" Gibbs held a finger up to Stan to signal that he would only be a minute. Stan nodded his understanding and not wanting to eavesdrop on the conversation stood and took his coffee out to the living room.

He had just sat down on the couch when he noticed Gibbs' cellphone lying on the coffee table next to his ever-present notepad and pen. Making sure he was safely out of Gibbs' line of sight, Stan surreptitiously picked up the phone and quickly scrolled through the contact list for Tony's phone number. He tore a page from the small notepad and jotted down both Tony's home and cell numbers before closing the phone and placing it back on the table exactly where it had been. Mission accomplished, Stan downed the rest of his coffee and let out a relieved sigh. He may not be a computer genius but he knew he could use his laptop back at the hotel to do a reverse search to find Tony's address. It sounded like Gibbs was finishing up his phone call so Stan stood and was about to head back to the kitchen when he heard footsteps coming up the front steps. A huge smile crossed his face when he pulled the door open to find Tony standing there.

* * *

Tony frowned and nodded but said plainly, "Sure sounded like it, but there's no way in hell that's _ever_ gonna happen! Jethro, it was a long time ago. Took me a while, but I got over it ... him ... with help from some friends. I can't believe he thinks I would want anything to do with him. I'm worried because you two seem pretty tight. I don't know if I can handle that."

"So, if Stan ends up moving back to D.C. like he wants, you wouldn't want to see him again?"

Tony stood and nearly knocked his chair over as he began nervously pacing. "Hell no Jethro! Are you crazy? That son of a bitch cheated on me with one of my friends, remember? He told me he loved me then betrayed me! I walked in on them one night and that was it. They never even knew I was there. Stan, or I guess for this I'll call him Steve, had Derek bent over the back of the couch and was fucking him like there was no tomorrow. I took off then came back the next morning while he was at work, packed my shit and left. Never saw him again until he popped up bigger than life on the screen in MTAC." Tony was nearly shouting by the time he finished his rant.

Seeing that Tony was now shaking and having trouble catching his breath, Gibbs stood and pulled him into a hug. He held him tight until he felt Tony's body relax against his while Tony held on for dear life trying to draw strength from Gibbs. When he was able to get his ragged emotions under control Tony pulled back slightly and looked Gibbs dead in the eye, and with every ounce of sincerity he could muster declared, "There is _no one_ else for me but you, Jethro. Stan or Steve or whatever may have been my first, but I want you to be the last … and the only one from here on out."

Gibbs cracked one of his crooked half smiles and asked, "So he was the only man you've ever been with?"

"Yep! I went back to women only after that. You've heard all of the stories. A lot of 'em are true, but plenty of them are bullshit. I don't … _didn't_sleep around nearly as much as you all think," Tony confessed with a nod and a wink.

"You think I believed _all_ those stories of yours, DiNozzo? I've always been able to tell when you're bullshitting me. I knew something was bothering you earlier today but I didn't want to push. I knew you'd tell me when you were ready. Listen to me, Tony. This is only going to work if we are open and honest with each other from the start. I know it wasn't easy, but thank you for telling me about Stan."

Tony smiled then cocked his head. "You're being very cool and un-Gibbs about this. Are you gonna be okay, you know, knowing about me and him? It's gonna be weird and could get really complicated if he ends up hanging around," Tony said.

Gibbs took both of Tony's hands in his and said conspiratorially, "Then I guess we'll have to make sure he stays afloat, won't we?" After sharing a laugh, a hug, and a brief but loving kiss, Gibbs said, "Don't worry about it. You're with me now, right?"

Tony nodded enthusiastically just as his stomach rumbled.

With a laugh Gibbs asked, "You still wanna get out of here and grab some dinner?"

"DiNozzos can _always_ eat," Tony answered proudly with a chuckle of his own.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the long delay in updating! Tony and Gibbs have a lot to talk about (yes, Gibbs can and does talk), and writing dialogue is **not** my specialty! Hopefully this chapter will offer a bit of insight into Gibbs' past and the real reason Stan really left D.C.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable NCIS characters or places. I am making no money from this and no copyrights infringement is intended!

Warning: Sorry, still don't have a beta. Please forgive any stupid spelling or other mistakes! I try to catch them all but mistakes still get past me.

* * *

Ch 6

Tony retrieved his go-bag from the trunk of his car then took a quick shower to wash off a layer of sawdust. He changed into a pair of black jeans and a butter-soft red V-neck sweater while Gibbs took his turn in the shower. He was threading a Hugo Boss belt through the belt loops when Gibbs came out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of boxer shorts and the ubiquitous white t-shirt. Tony was pleasantly surprised and grinned when Gibbs went to his closet and shrugged into a dark grey button down dress shirt instead of one of his polo shirts. He then pulled on a pair of jeans that Tony helpfully pointed out hugged his butt quite nicely. Gibbs shot him a glare as he tucked in the shirt tails and rolled up the sleeves.

They grinned at each other in the large mirror over the double-sink vanity in Gibbs' master bathroom as they put on the finishing touches. Gibbs put on his watch then splashed on some Old Spice, which Tony thought mixed perfectly with his usual sawdust and coffee scent. Tony dabbed on designer cologne then began combing his longer than normal hair into place. Gibbs wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through the silky stands but instead picked up and examined the elegant bottle that had a French-looking name etched in the glass. He rolled his eyes and snorted before setting the bottle back down on the counter. After one last look in the mirror they grabbed their wallets and keys and climbed into Tony's Corvette for the fifteen minute drive to the restaurant.

* * *

Monti's Steakhouse was a family-owned restaurant offering a wide variety of dishes from sea food, authentic Italian and Mexican cuisine, pizza, burgers, to arguably the best steaks in town. The atmosphere was very laid back and casual and the staff was friendly. It definitely wasn't the most romantic place for a first date, but Gibbs thought they would be more relaxed and able to talk there than at a more upscale restaurant.

It was early enough that Monti's wasn't crowded yet for a Saturday night so they were immediately seated in a booth. A smiling young waiter named Mark appeared almost instantly and in an efficient and rather dramatic fashion ran down the night's dinner specials as he handed them each a menu. After a brief rundown of the drink specials he jotted down their orders, double bourbon neat for Gibbs and a draught of domestic beer for Tony. Gibbs and Tony exchanged barely contained snickers as soon as Mark turned on his heel and called over his shoulder that he would be "back in a jiffy" with their drinks.

Mark returned a few minutes later to serve their drinks and cheerfully asked if they were ready to order. Gibbs already knew what he wanted and didn't need to bother looking at the menu. He ordered his usual prime top sirloin, grilled medium, with a baked potato and steamed vegetables to appease Ducky, who was constantly lecturing the team on the virtues of green veggies. Tony, who had only given his menu a cursory glance, thought that sounded pretty good so he ordered the same and handed the menus back to Mark with a smile.

Finally alone they clinked their glasses together in a silent toast. For several moments they sipped on their drinks and gazed nervously across the table at each other. "Everything okay, Tony," Gibbs finally asked quietly.

Tony smiled and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just trying to get my head around the last 24 hours that's all. Last night and then all the weird shit today." When Gibbs smirked and nodded in response, Tony cleared his throat. "Hey, Jethro, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Ask me anything," Gibbs offered before taking another sip of his bourbon.

Tony scowled and chewed nervously on his bottom lip. "It's about Burley. Did you ever-I mean, were you and he, uh, aw jeez …," Tony stammered trying to figure out the best way to ask the pivotal question.

Gibbs snorted and let Tony off the hook by shaking his head and saying plainly, "No! Part of the reason Stan left was because I turned him down after he made a drunken pass at me one night. We worked together for a while until one day he went to Morrow and asked for an immediate transfer. That was about a month before I showed up in Baltimore."

_Flashback – September 2001:_

_Stan and Gibbs sat on the floor in the basement leaning against the workbench drinking bourbon in a futile attempt to forget the gruesome case they had just wrapped up. Stan got uncharacteristically drunk and made a ninety-proof confession that he was bisexual. When Gibbs patted his leg and assured him that it was okay and not to worry about it, Stan went further and admitted that he was sexually attracted to him. Gibbs, positive that he had never given off any signals, turned and cocked his head as he looked at Stan curiously. In his alcohol addled state, Stan misread Gibbs' bewildered expression and amused little smirk as an invitation and leaned in to kiss him. Gibbs instantly and rather forcefully placed a hand in the middle of Stan's chest to stop his advance and muttered a quiet, "No, Stan. I'm sorry, but this is __**not**__ gonna happen."_

_Gibbs let Stan down easy by making it clear that even though he was flattered he wasn't interested. He confessed that he had just started dating someone, but conveniently left out the fact that he was dating another man. Stephanie had long ago moved out and it was only a matter of time before his third and hopefully last divorce would be final. Gibbs had managed to keep his own bisexuality secret through three of his marriages and he didn't see the point of coming out now, especially to Stan. Only Shannon and his father knew the truth, though Gibbs wondered at times if Ducky suspected he was more bent than straight. The wise elderly ME had dropped hints on more than one occasion, but the topic was never brought up for discussion. Everyone knew that Gibbs' personal life was strictly off limits and questions about it were to be avoided at all costs._

_Stan and Gibbs managed to work together despite occasional awkwardness, but after a few weeks Stan requested a transfer citing an ulcer due to Gibbs being too demanding. Director Morrow was able to get him assigned as Agent Afloat and he shipped out two weeks later. Stan was a good investigator and Gibbs hated to see him go, but he understood the real reason for the transfer request. Chris Pacci, who had worked with them on a few cases, was assigned as Gibbs' new partner but they never clicked. Pacci was too green to be a very effective investigator, and Gibbs had no time or patience to train him._

_It was one month later when Gibbs went undercover and ended up in Baltimore where he was tackled by a cocky, brash, not to mention gorgeous young Baltimore PD Detective by the name of Tony DiNozzo. During what ended up being a joint Baltimore PD/NCIS investigation, Tony turned to Gibbs for advice when he realized that his partner Danny was a dirty cop. Not wanting to break Rule 5 by wasting good, Gibbs ended up recruiting Tony to NCIS to be his new partner._

_End Flashback_

"Stan never knew that I dated men. Shannon knew. Now, only you, my dad, and Tobias know. I don't think Stan knows now, not that I really care if he does," Gibbs stated with a slight shrug. ""

Tony smiled and let out a relieved breath. "That's good to know. This is so weird though. I mean, talk about a small world! I _lived_ with the guy and then he ends up working for you _and_ coming on to you a few years later? What do think he'll do if or more likely _when_ he finds out about us?"

Gibbs shrugged and stated, "Hopefully nothing. He's just gonna have to accept the fact that you are with _me _now and that _we_ are together. It's really none of his damn business."

They sat grinning at each other when Mark arrived with their orders and a fresh round of drinks. Tony was famished and immediately dug in. He moaned appreciatively as he chewed his first bite of the thick juicy steak, which had been grilled to near perfection. After chasing the bite down with a sip of beer Tony announced that his steak was pretty damn good, but then made a point of letting Gibbs know that he still liked his cowboy-style steaks better. Gibbs rolled his eyes but acknowledged the compliment with a smile.

A question popped into Tony's head so he put down his fork and asked, "Um, have you, you know, been with many guys?" When Gibbs' fork stopped in mid-air and his eyebrows shot up, Tony held up his hands and exclaimed, "Wait-you don't have to tell me. It's none of my business. Just forget I asked, okay?" Tony picked up his beer with a shaky hand and took a long drink.

Gibbs sighed and put his fork down. "Tony, you have every right to ask and to answer your question, no-I haven't. There have only been a few. There was one back in boot camp before I met Shannon, the guy I dated after Stephanie moved out, and one, um …," Gibbs trailed off when he saw Tony grin and nod.

"Mexico, right," Tony asked with a knowing smirk as leaned back in his chair. "Franks said something when I was his protection detail. He didn't mean to say anything I'm sure, but he said something about a hot young stud named Diego and said he looked like a younger version of me." Seeing a blush rising on Gibbs' cheeks Tony chuckled. "Hey, it's okay Jethro. It was a long time ago."

It may have been a bold move for being in public but Gibbs felt a sudden urgent need to touch Tony. He reached across the table and ran his calloused fingers over the back of Tony's hand that was holding his pilsner glass. "Diego was this young guy who tended bar at the cantina where Franks and I spent _a lot_ of time. I got a little too drunk one night and let him take me home. I guess I was lonely or maybe I was just horny. It had been a long time. We saw each other off and on for about a month or so. For me it was just sex, but he wanted more than that. I didn't have feelings for him and it got complicated. So-I ended it, got my shit together, and came home where I belong."

Tony cocked his head and smiled warmly. "I'm sure glad you did! Uh, thank you for telling me," he said sincerely. After taking a drink he asked, "Do you think we're gonna have tell Vance about us? I mean, Abby and McGee already know and they're cool. I don't know about Ziva though. I'm pretty sure McGee told Palmer because I freaked out about playing my song, and I bet Ducky knows too," Tony stated questioningly before taking another bite of his steak.

Gibbs smirked and nodded as he chewed. "Yeah, Ducky knows. We'll have to tell Vance at some point. I have no idea how he's going to react but I'll deal with him. Oh, Fornell knows too, by the way. He came over this morning and asked me straight up what was going on with you and me. He said it was pretty fucking obvious. He won't say anything though since he's got a few men mixed in too."

Tony nearly choked and his eyes went wide. "Fornell? Seriously? Since when?"

Gibbs threw his head back and laughed. "He blames Diane for turning him bi. First thing he did after signing the divorce papers was drag me to a bar to help him pick out a guy to take home. I eventually pointed out this young little blonde who was dancing around all the tables obviously looking for a date, so Tobias tosses back his drink then stands up in front of the kid and announces that he wants to take him home and fuck him senseless. That was it! The kid grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the door. I think we were there all of twenty minutes," Gibbs chuckled.

Tony was finally beginning to relax. Sharing a laugh with Gibbs, at Tobias Fornell's expense to boot, was just what he needed. "So what did you do," Tony asked.

Gibbs smiled and said, "We both drove that night, so after he left I finished my drink and went home-alone. Trolling gay bars is not really my thing."

Mark returned to clear their empty plates from the table and offer dessert. He declared proudly that Monti's had the world's absolute best cherry cheesecake, which they both regretfully declined. A small tug-of-war ensued over the check but Tony relented when Gibbs agreed to let him leave the tip. Tony made a point of leaving a tip that was more than generous then followed Gibbs out into the unseasonably warm late-fall evening.

"Hey, whadya say we take a walk?" Gibbs suggested with a smile and a nod in the direction of the park across the street. They still had a lot to talk about and Gibbs figured it would be best to stay on neutral turf. He had decided to take Fornell's unsolicited advice and give building a relationship with Tony a chance. Fornell had bluntly pointed out that Gibbs wasn't getting any younger, that Tony was "hotter than hell", and "good luck finding anyone else willing put up with your shit".

Tony smiled shyly and nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that." Tony's smile only grew when Gibbs took his hand and entwined their fingers as they crossed the street to the park. Hand in hand they leisurely strolled through the well-lit park and talked. Tony voiced his concerns about how being together romantically might affect how they work together. It was agreed that no matter what happened they would keep their personal relationship out of the office. Gibbs would be 'Gibbs' or 'Boss' at work, and Tony would be 'DiNozzo'. When they were alone they would be Jethro and Tony. Tony's suggestion that they come up with special endearing nicknames for each other was answered with a swift and firm head slap.

When they came upon a group of kids hanging out around the fountain, Tony attempted to pull his hand out from Gibbs' gentle grasp only to have it held tighter. Tony shot Gibbs a sideways glance and asked softly, "Jethro, are you sure you want to be seen like this?"

Gibbs stopped and turned to face Tony, his eyes flashing with affection as he released Tony's hand and took his face in his hands. He looked into Tony's eyes and stated with all sincerity, "Tony, I want you to listen to me. If we are going to be together, I am _not_ going to hide. I've been hiding all my life and I don't want to anymore. You are too good for that. I'm proud and honored to be with you and to be seen with you. Frankly, if anyone has a problem with it well that's tough shit."

Tony beamed at Gibbs, who was the most closed off private person he had ever met in his entire life. With that simple declaration all of Tony's earlier misgivings about starting something with the man quickly faded away and he suddenly couldn't help but laugh.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes and for a moment wondered if he had overstepped or that may Tony wasn't ready or didn't want to go public with their budding relationship. "You want to tell me what's so damn funny, DiNozzo," he asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Tony wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and said, "I'm sorry. It just hit me that here I am _on a date_ with the one and only Leroy Jethro Gibbs, badass Marine and my _male_ boss, walking hand in hand like it was most natural thing in the world." Tony chuckled again but quickly sobered at the almost hurt look on Gibbs' face. "Hey Jethro, I didn't mean that in a bad way. _I_ am the one who is proud and honored to be with _you_. I'll shout it from the nearest rooftop to prove it to you. Just say the word."

Gibbs' frown slowly morphed into a smile. "Maybe you should wait until _after_ we tell Vance."

It was Tony's turn to frown. "Jethro, what if he freaks out? What if he decides to break up the team again? What if he sends my ass afloat again, or worse ships me off to an arctic outpost somewhere? And what about you? Jesus Jethro, what if he fires you for getting involved with a subordinate, a _male_ subordinate? Oh my God," Tony exclaimed with his hand over his mouth as he became more agitated.

Gibbs grabbed Tony's hand and dragged him over to a nearby park bench. "Sit," he ordered and Tony immediately obeyed without hesitation. Gibbs sat next to him and sighed. "I honestly don't know how Vance is going to react, but right now I really don't care. He could fire me if he wanted to but he won't. I have enough time in so he'd probably just let me retire quietly if it came to that. I can tell you there is no way in hell he's sending you or your ass anywhere! I. Will. Handle. Vance! I have enough dirt on him that I can use if I have to and he knows it. Just leave Vance to me, okay?"

Tony, overwhelmed by Gibbs being in protective mode on his behalf and in defense of their fledgling romance, did the only thing he could think of. He turned and grabbed Gibbs' face in his hands then leaned forward and took his lips in a passionate kiss. At that moment, Tony didn't care if Director Vance or Sec Nav Jarvis himself jumped out the bushes.

Tony broke the kiss and whispered "Oh God" against Gibbs' lips when he noticed an elderly couple slowly walking toward them hand in hand. The woman favored them with a sly knowing smile and her husband gave them a nod and a wink. When the woman saw both men begin to blush and scoot away from each other she tugged her husband over to where Tony and Gibbs sat.

The tiny woman stood before them and admonished in a grandmotherly tone, "Now don't you boys mind us one bit! I'm Lydia and this here is Norman. We didn't mean to interrupt you two dears but it sure is nice to see two young people in love. We may be old but we don't want you thinking we're like all those mean old codgers!"

Tony and Gibbs both gaped at her then smiled and laughed when Norman added, "Too many damn fools these days sticking their noses in where they don't belong. Now, you boys listen to the Missus and don't you go worrying about what other folks think. She ain't been wrong once in the 60 years we've been married." Norman beamed proudly at Lydia then kissed her cheek.

"You two boys carry on and we'll just be on our way," Lydia said as she smiled and gently patted Tony and Gibbs on the cheek. Norman gave them a curt nod and a tip of the hat then took hold of Lydia's hand and led her away. Tony and Gibbs watched the little old couple slowly shuffle away then turned and smiled at each other.

"Young?" Gibbs questioned with a chuckle as he took Tony's hand in his and entwined their fingers. "I am _not_ young."

"Dears?" Tony replied with a snort. "I can't believe she actually called us dears!"

They both burst out laughing at the show of support from two unexpected allies. When they got control of themselves Gibbs stood and pulled Tony to his feet. They stood and grinned stupidly at each other before Gibbs leaned in and kissed Tony, who returned and deepened the kiss until they were both nearly breathless. It was a timeless moment where everything changed as they were both overtaking by passion.

Tony unexpectedly pulled back slightly and whispered huskily in Gibbs' ear as he nuzzled his jawline, "Take me home Jethro. Please? I want you."

A stunned Gibbs pulled back even further and searched Tony's eyes for any sign of fear or doubt. Seeing nothing reflected back at him but complete trust and affection, Gibbs asked, "Tony, are you sure? I thought we were gonna take things slow? Are you saying …".

Tony interrupted by declaring softly, "I'm saying I want you to take me home and make love to me, Jethro. I know we still have a million things to talk about, but right now-I need you. Please, Jethro?"

Gibbs nodded slowly and swallowed past the lump forming in his throat. He then took Tony's hand in his and gave it a loving squeeze. Tony pulled their joined hands up to his lips and placed a kiss on Gibbs' knuckles. As they leisurely walked hand in hand out of the park and back across the street to Tony's car neither man noticed that they were being watched.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks once again to everyone who has followed and/or reviewed to date! I truly appreciate the feedback.

Disclaimer: I still don't own the characters. I am making no money from this and no copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Ch 7

What had been forecast as a slight chance of light rain turned into a full-blown downpour as Tony carefully navigated the rain-slick streets. He risked a brief sideways glance and saw Gibbs crack one of his crooked half smiles at him. Tony grinned back before turning his full attention back to the road, his heart pounding in time with the windshield wipers. He wasn't sure what exactly possessed him to beg Gibbs to take him home when they had decided to take things slow. Maybe it was the passion-filled kiss that left him breathless and weak in the knees, maybe it was Lydia and Norman's acceptance and encouragement, maybe it was a desperate attempt to erase his past, or more likely it was a combination of the three. The only thing Tony knew was that he wanted and needed Gibbs to claim him. With that thought in mind Tony blindly reached for Gibbs' hand.

Gibbs responded by entwining their fingers and resting their joined hands on the center console. He had been lost in his own thoughts as a battle raged inside of him. As much as he wanted Tony, to kiss him, to hold him, to make love to him, Gibbs had to wonder why Tony seemed almost desperate to take that next step so suddenly. Gibbs closed his eyes as unwelcome images of Tony and Stan together, wrapped in each other's arms, flashed through his mind. Jealous and possessive by nature, Gibbs wanted nothing more than to permanently erase Stan from Tony's memory, but he questioned if sleeping with Tony so soon was the right course. He'd had more than his share of fantasies about Tony over the years, but those involved nothing more than a quick hard fuck in the elevator, in the parking garage over the hood of his car, and over his desk in the bullpen. Now, however, Gibbs wanted to let go of the fantasies and make love to Tony in every sense of the word.

Gibbs was pulled from his thoughts when Tony suddenly yanked his hand free and shouted "Oh shit!" before bringing the car to an abrupt stop mere feet from a multi-vehicle accident involving at least half a dozen cars. They both took a few ragged breaths and exchanged "damn-that-was-close" looks before Gibbs quickly released his seatbelt, pulled out his cell phone and called 911. Tony quickly followed suit and said with a reluctant sigh, "I've got rain gear in the back. Let's go."

* * *

After spending hours cooped up in his hotel room sitting in front of his laptop, Stan needed a break to stretch his legs, get some fresh air and a change of scenery. So wrapped up in digging for any information he could find on Gibbs and his team he had completely lost track of time. If all of the news articles he found and official statements released by the top echelon at NCIS, Homeland Security, the FBI, and the Pentagon were true, Gibbs' MCRT was most definitely an elite team of investigators. Stan was impressed by their success rate both locally and on the international stage, and felt a pang of regret for leaving all those years ago. The last decade spent bouncing between various ships and the occasional temporary assignment abroad had left a lot to be desired.

Stan checked his watch when his stomach growled loudly reminding them that he hadn't eaten since breakfast early that morning. It was approaching 1900 hours so he decided to kill two birds with one stone and walk up the street to grab a bite to eat. Checking to make sure he had his wallet and room key he headed up the block to the little Italian restaurant he used to frequent when he lived in D.C. only to find that it was now called Monti's Steakhouse. By the number of people waiting inside it was obvious that he had arrived at the height of the dinner rush. Fortunately, the pretty young hostess said she had a small table available then led Stan over to it and handed him a menu. He was midway through placing his order for a burger and fries but stopped mid-sentence when he saw Gibbs and Tony get up and leave together. He normally wouldn't have thought too much about it, but something about the way Gibbs placed his hand possessively on the small of Tony's back as they made their way toward the door piqued his curiosity.

At the sight of Tony turning his head and smiling at Gibbs, Stan stammered out an apology to the waiter. After pulling a ten dollar bill from his wallet to cover his untouched iced tea he quickly got up to follow them out, careful to stay out of sight. He stepped out the door into the fading light just in time to see Gibbs take Tony's hand in his as they crossed the street and headed toward the archway entrance to the park. "No way. No fucking way," an utterly astonished Stan muttered under his breath.

Not wanting to take a chance on being seen he decided to bide his time and wait. He ran a hand down his face then jogged over to his rental car parked less than a block down the street. He climbed in behind the wheel and crouched down in the seat, his eyes never leaving the entrance to the park. Half an hour later he sat bolt right up in his seat when Tony and Gibbs finally reappeared. A combination of jealousy and sadness struck him at the sight of his only one true love laughing and smiling with another man's arm protectively around his waist. That the other man was Gibbs, his friend and mentor now turned romantic rival, was almost more than Stan could bear. He watched as Tony and Gibbs smiled at each other over the roof of Tony's car before climbing in and driving off. A light rain began to fall as Stan contemplated his next move.

* * *

Tony couldn't help but think how sexy Gibbs looked at the moment standing amid the red, white and blue flashing lights of the fleet of emergency vehicles that had descended on the accident scene. He and Gibbs had quickly made their way from car to car to check on the occupants and offer first aid if necessary. A few of the cars had heavy damage but fortunately all of the injuries appeared to be minor, mostly cuts and bruises. Gibbs stood at the back of an ambulance holding a scared and crying little girl protectively under his jacket against his chest while her mother received treatment for a gash on her arm from a paramedic. Tony watched Gibbs out of the corner of his eye as he finished giving his report to a Metro PD cop. After shaking the officer's hand, Tony jogged over and met up with Gibbs just as the woman's frantic husband showed up. Gibbs handed the now calm little girl over to her father, then took off his NCIS cap and adjusted the size before placing it securely on her head. She beamed at Gibbs and thanked him in a sweet angelic voice.

Satisfied that their help was no longer needed, they climbed back into Tony's car after shaking off the rain and tossing their wet gear in the back. They were both damp from the cold rain so Tony cranked up the heat hoping to at least take the chill off. Putting the car in gear Tony slowly navigated his way around the damaged cars and turned onto a side street that got them back on course toward Gibbs' house. His desire to be alone with Gibbs hadn't diminished in the least, but the pensive look on Gibbs' face made Tony wonder if he was having second thoughts.

* * *

Stan's first thought had been to head to DuPont circle and lose himself in a crowded club, and possibly a warm willing body, but quickly decided against it. He drove a few blocks until he found what looked like a quiet little pub where he could have a drink or two and think about the evening's revelations. He parked the car then turned up the collar of his nylon jacket against the driving rain as he ran toward the door of Max's Tavern. He glanced around the mostly empty, dimly lit room before making his way over to the bar. From the décor, Max's was obviously the type of establishment where people went solely to drink, which was exactly what Stan planned to do. There were no flashing lights, mirrored balls, loud music, or scantily clad dancers. Various neon beer signs and a few outdated promotional posters were the only decorations adorning the walls.

Only two tables toward the back of the room were occupied. Two older gentlemen sat around one table along with wall playing checkers, while a young woman sat alone at a small corner table appearing deep in thought as she stared into an empty glass. If the friendly banter going on with the tall muscular bartender was any indication, the three middle age men wearing outdated sports coats and comb-overs sitting together at the bar were regulars. They looked like the stereotypical barflies portrayed in countless TV shows and movies.

Stan slapped a ten dollar bill on the bar and ordered a pitcher of Bud and one glass. He was watching the breaking news banner about a local car accident scroll across the screen of the muted TV above the bar when the woman appeared next to him. When the bartender returned with his pitcher she looked at him curiously. "You cannot possibly drink all of that by yourself," she stated emphatically.

Stan, wanting time alone to think, turned to confront his unwelcome companion. He recognized the woman immediately and a smile slowly curled on his lips. She was a striking beauty with dark eyes and long dark hair pulled back into a flowing ponytail. She was different than the women he was accustomed to meeting in bars or clubs. Instead of sinfully tight revealing club wear, the petite woman wore a light brown scoop-neck t-shirt tucked into desert camouflage pants, which were in turn tucked into black combat boots. The investigator in Stan couldn't help but wonder how many weapons she was concealing.

He huffed out a laugh before offering, "Then how about you join me?"

Having overheard the verbal exchange and witnessing the unspoken, the bartender placed a second glass on the bar. The woman bowed her head at Stan then picked up the glasses and headed back to her table with Stan following with the pitcher. When they were seated Stan filled both glasses and placed one in front of her. Plastering on his most charming smile he extended a hand across the table. "I guess I should introduce myself. The name's Scott Barrows, and you would be …?" he asked curiously.

The woman took a sip of her beer then with a friendly smile shook Stan's hand and stated simply, "Ziva. It is nice to meet you, Scott."

* * *

It was still raining heavily when Tony pulled his car into the driveway and turned off the ignition. On the count of three, Gibbs and Tony made a break for it and bolted for the house. They were both laughing by the time they reached the front door. Gibbs flipped the switch on the wall just inside the door to a pair of wall sconces above the fireplace. Tony's shirt was damp causing him to shiver slightly so Gibbs quickly pulled the woven Marine Corp throw from the back of the couch and wrapped it around Tony's arms and shoulders. Gibbs was mindful that even though Tony had fully recovered from his bout with the plague years ago he was more susceptible to bronchitis and pneumonia due to the lasting damage done to his lungs from the infection that nearly took his life.

Gibbs embraced Tony from behind and placed a kiss behind his ear. "We better get you warmed up. Don't want you catching a cold. Here, have a seat and I'll start a fire," Gibbs said as he directed Tony over to the stone hearth.

Tony smiled as he watched Gibbs kneel down beside him and arranged several logs in the fireplace then stuff wadded up newspaper underneath them before striking a match and setting the paper and logs ablaze.

Tony closed his eyes and hummed in appreciation as he began to feel the heat from the fire almost instantly. Gibbs smiled then kissed the top of his head as he stood and headed to the kitchen, returning a couple of minutes later with two bottles of beer.

Gibbs handed both bottles to Tony then sat on the floor a few feet away with his back against the couch and his legs spread wide. He motioned for Tony to hand him one of the bottles then patted the floor between his legs and said, "C'mere." Tony did as he was told and sighed when he felt Gibbs' arms surround him as he was pulled flush back against Gibbs' strong chest.

They settled in and sipped on their beers while watching the flames dance behind the mesh screen as the cold driving rain outside beat against the windows.

"Mmmmm. This is nice, Jethro. Nice and toasty," Tony said with a contented sigh as he snuggled deeper into Gibbs' arms. "I could get used to this you know." Tony then craned his neck and smiled warmly up at Gibbs, who took the opportunity presented to lean down and place a tender kiss on Tony's lips. Tony tried in vain to wiggle around so that he could deepen the kiss. After several attempts, Gibbs chuckled against Tony's lips and murmured, "Hang on. I have an idea. Get up for a second."

Tony stood then watched as Gibbs pulled a pile of blankets and pillows from behind the couch and laid them out on the floor creating a makeshift bed in front of the roaring fire. Satisfied with the results Gibbs knelt on the blankets then took Tony's hand and pulled him down to join him, their bottles of beer now abandoned on the coffee table. They got situated with Tony on his back and Gibbs on his side propped up on his left arm so he could look down at the gorgeous man stretched out next to him.

Tony reached a hand up behind Gibbs' neck to pull him down for a proper kiss. The kiss started out languid and lazy, both willingly opening up to let their tongues dance together in a sensual tango until they were both nearly breathless. When Gibbs released Tony's lips he looked into the greenest eyes he had ever seen and saw desire and trust flash in them.

"Tony, I want to make love to you but I don't want us to rush things. We have plenty of time. So tell me Tony-tell me what you want," Gibbs pleaded softly.

Tony searched Gibbs' beautiful blue eyes for a moment before whispering, "I want you to make love to me. I love you, Jethro. I know it's crazy, but I really do. I trust you, and right now I want you so much it hurts."

Gibbs' heart skipped a beat at Tony's declaration and he nodded. "Okay then, but I need to get up for a minute. Be right back." He kissed Tony again before standing and jogging up the stairs.

Tony used the time to divest himself of his clothing, which he cast off creating a pile on the leather recliner near the fireplace. He peeled back the top blanket from the nest Gibbs had effectively created and wiggled under it until he was covered from the waist down leaving his chest bare.

Gibbs stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Tony laying on his side with his head propped up on his hand waiting for him. Gibbs never broke eye contact as he walked over and tossed the items in his hand onto the hearth. Tony watched with a lascivious grin as Gibbs stripped out of his clothes, which joined Tony's in the chair.

Tony glanced over at the items Gibbs had tossed on the hearth and blushed slightly when he picked up the bottle of lube and a six-pack string of condoms. He raised an eyebrow at Gibbs and asked teasingly, "You planning on getting _really_ lucky tonight, Marine?"

It was Gibbs' turn to blush especially since his cock was stirring and threatening to get really hard really fast. "I, uh, just, aw hell-I just grabbed what was in my nightstand."

Tony chuckled before tossing the condoms over onto the coffee table. He was already rock hard himself under the blanket, which he lifted up in a blatant invitation for Gibbs to join him. Seeing that Tony was hard too Gibbs smirked and joined him under the blanket.

They got back to the business of serious making out as their desire and passion built. After several minutes of Gibbs feasting on his lips and neck, Tony pulled back and demanded huskily, "Jethro, please. I want you inside me."

When Gibbs went to reach for the condoms, Tony grabbed his wrist. They locked eyes for a moment before Gibbs asked, "No condom? Tony, are you sure?"

Tony swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. We both just had our annual physicals and got tested, right? I'm clean. Jethro, I don't want anything between us unless you do."

Gibbs responded by gently pushing Tony down onto his back and covering the lean toned body with his own. "God Tony," Gibbs said breathily as he attacked Tony's neck, "what you do to me."

Tony's strong hands roamed over the expanse of Gibbs' back and down to his ass while Gibbs did his best to mark Tony as his by placing several bite marks along his shoulder and one high on his neck that would definitely require Tony to wear turtlenecks for a few days. Gibbs blindly grabbed the bottle of lube, flipped open the cap, and liberally coated his fingers.

Tony willingly surrendered to anything and everything Gibbs wanted to do to him. In that moment he felt loved, cherished, claimed and possessed by the man wreaking havoc with his senses. The smell of their mutual arousal, the feel of Gibbs' strong and sure hands caressing his skin, the erotic sounds emanating from deep within both of them, the salty taste of Gibbs' skin as Tony peppered his shoulders and chest with kisses, and the sight of blue eyes turned nearly black with desire.

Tony was sure he was going to completely lose what was left of his mind as Gibbs kissed and nipped his way down his chest stopping to thoroughly work over both nipples until they were almost painfully erect. Continuing his journey downward, Gibbs repeatedly swiped his tongue across the profusely leaking head of Tony's cock as one by one his slick fingers carefully and methodically worked in and out of Tony's body opening him up. When Gibbs hummed and looked up as he licked the precum from his lips Tony nearly came undone. "Oh dear God. Jethro, I'm so close, but I don't want to come yet. Want you inside me first. Please, Jethro," he managed to pant out before slamming his eyes shut in an attempt to gain some semblance of control over what he knew was sure to be the mother of all mind-blowing orgasms.

Gibbs in turn felt honored by how sweetly Tony was giving himself to him without reservation or hesitation. Satisfied that Tony was stretched enough to accommodate his larger than average size, Gibbs pulled his fingers out and guided his painfully swollen cock to nudge Tony's entrance. He lifted Tony's left leg to rest on his shoulder then took a deep breath and pushed in until the head of his cock slipped past the tight ring of muscle. Gibbs nearly came right then when Tony let out an unearthly moan and thrust his hips up in an attempt to pull Gibbs further inside.

"Slow down Tony. We gotta go slow or this is gonna be over _way_ too soon," Gibbs said with a pleasurable groan.

Tony locked his eyes on Gibbs' and nodded. "I'm good Jethro. I wanna feel all of you," he panted as he thrust his hips up again eager to have the man he loved deep inside him.

Gibbs wanted nothing more than to oblige and when he felt that Tony was accepting and relaxed he slowly surged forward until he was fully seated inside Tony's welcoming body. Keeping the tempo slow with long lazy strokes, Gibbs lowered himself down to rest on his elbows and kissed Tony deeply. They traded kisses and exchanged panted murmured endearments as they slowly rocked together taking each other to nearly unimaginable heights. It was evident by the change in their breathing and the litany of curses they began uttering that both of them were close to climaxing.

The pace suddenly picked up when in answer to Tony's panted demands Gibbs raised up onto his hands and began pounding into Tony, repeatedly nailing his prostate in the process. Moments later Gibbs simultaneously felt Tony's release shoot out and splatter against their stomachs as his internal muscles clamped down around his cock. Gibbs came a few seconds later, burying himself to the hilt before spurting his release deep inside Tony's body with a loud groan.

"Jesus Tony," Gibbs managed to say as he nearly collapsed on his sated lover. He carefully lowered himself down and was instantly wrapped in Tony's strong arms as they rode out the aftershocks from their blinding orgasms.

"That was amazing," Tony murmured in Gibbs' ear as he ran his hands soothingly up and down his back. "I never dreamed it could be like this. God Jethro."

Gibbs pushed himself back up onto his hands and looked down on Tony, his sweaty hair sticking up in every possible direction, kiss-swollen lips slightly parted, and a light sheen of sweat glistening on his flushed skin. Tony DiNozzo basking in the afterglow of making love had to be the most beautiful thing Gibbs had ever seen.

"You okay," Gibbs asked as he gently brushed a few errant strands of hair from Tony's forehead as his spent cock naturally slipped out of Tony's body.

Tony whimpered at the loss then let out a tired chuckle and said, "I am _way_ better than okay. Thank you Jethro."

Gibbs pecked a kiss on Tony's lips and replied softly, "You are more than welcome."

The unbelievably strange day caught up with Tony and he yawned. Orgasms always made him sleepy anyway, but what he experienced with Gibbs was something else entirely. Gibbs declared bedtime then got up to retrieve a washcloth from the dryer in the laundry room off of the kitchen to clean them up a bit. It was agreed that a long hot shower could wait until morning as they got comfortable with Gibbs on his back and Tony on his side snuggled in close with an arm resting on Gibbs' stomach and his hand tracing small circles over Gibbs' heart.

"G'night, Jethro. I love you," Tony said around a jaw-cracking yawn.

"Good night, Tony. I love you, too," Gibbs replied with a soft chuckle.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Here's a short chapter that will hopefully set up some upcoming conversations. Yep, Gibbs is actually going to have to talk about his feelings! That should be fun, especially when he talks to Vance!

Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters or places and I am not making any money from this work of fiction. No copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Ch 8

Gibbs cracked one eye open when the smell of strong fresh brewed coffee assaulted him. He attempted to stretch but his back was stiff and sore from sleeping on the floor. He groaned with relief after rolling onto his side and twisting his torso causing several vertebrae to pop loudly. Hearing a snicker coming from across the room, Gibbs propped himself up on his elbows and overtly leered through bleary half-open eyes at Tony standing dressed only in a pair of boxer briefs leaning against the archway to the dining room and smirking at him over the rim of a coffee mug.

"Miss me already," Tony asked teasingly with a raised eyebrow as he crossed the room and handed a second steaming mug to Gibbs, who immediately took a big gulp and moaned appreciatively before setting the mug down on the hearth. He then reached into the pile of discarded clothes in the recliner blindly searching for his underwear. "Damn Jethro! You have lead lining in your mouth or something?"

Gibbs shimmied into his boxer shorts and fixed a glare at Tony who smiled sweetly back at him. He yawned then stood and stretched properly before bending over to pick up his mug. "Thanks for the coffee, Tony. That's good work."

Tony rolled his eyes before loosely draping his free arm over Gibbs' shoulder. "I was going to surprise you and make us a nice breakfast, but you don't have any damn food in the house. So I was thinking we could grab a shower and then I'll take you to IHOP. Whadya say?"

Gibbs finished off his coffee in three more gulps then grabbed Tony's hand and pulled him toward the stairs. Tony furrowed his brow in confusion when Gibbs suddenly released his hand and headed back toward the coffee table, but laughed when he realized the reason why. Gibbs, living up to the credo of always being prepared, had exchanged his empty coffee mug for the bottle of lube. As he passed Tony on his way to the stairs he flashed a devilish smile and said huskily, "We're gonna need this."

Tony slowly turned and watched as Gibbs climbed the stairs taking them two at a time. He swallowed hard and wondered if his aching ass was up for another pounding so soon. When he reached the bathroom, Gibbs was already naked and adjusting the water temperature in the shower. Tony sat his coffee down on the vanity then took a moment to appreciate the view as he stepped out of his underwear and followed Gibbs into the shower. The combination of the hot water and gentle massage setting of the shower head did wonders to work the knots and aches out of his muscles.

Tony smiled when he felt a soapy washcloth glide across his abdomen while Gibbs pulled him back flush against his body. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as Gibbs peppered his shoulders and neck with kisses as he lovingly ran the washcloth all over Tony's lightly tanned skin. Tony intended to return the favor, but if the hard cock trapped between their bodies was any indication Gibbs had other ideas. "Tony," Gibbs murmured seductively in his ear, "I want you to fuck me."

Tony's slowly turned in Gibbs' arms and gaped at him for a moment, positive that he had completely misunderstood the request. Seeing Gibbs' pupils fully blown with lust, want, and need caused Tony to gasp audibly. Gibbs slapped the bottle of lube into Tony's hand then kissed him tenderly before pulling back. "We're equals here, Tony, and I want you," Gibbs stated emphatically as he took in the stunned expression on Tony's beautiful face. He ran his hand down Tony's body and gently took Tony's semi-erect cock in his hand and began slowly stroking it. Tony let out a soft moan and closed his eyes again in response to the stimulation as his cock grew in Gibbs' skilled hand. When Tony was fully hard, Gibbs whispered in his ear, "I want to feel this-_all_ of this inside me."

Tony's eyes shot open, and he swallowed hard before suddenly pouncing and claiming Gibbs' lips in a bruising kiss. After thoroughly mapping his mouth, Tony spun Gibbs around to face the shower wall and panted in his ear, "You better hang on, Marine."

Tony was sure he was dreaming at the feel of the entire length of his cock being encased in the welcoming velvety warmth of Gibbs' ass. In the hundreds if not thousands of dreams and fantasies Tony had about the man over the past decade it was _always_ Gibbs, the most alpha male he had ever met, topping him. Tony never allowed even the remotest of possibilities to creep into his lust-filled mind that Gibbs would _ever_ consent to him, or any man for that matter, shoving their cock up his ass! It simply did not jive with Tony's perception of the man.

Tony had been fully intent on driving Gibbs out of his mind by slowly taking him to the edge then pulling him back from the brink, first with his well-lubed fingers as he carefully worked him open then with his cock, but things didn't quite go as planned. It took Gibbs threatening him with a week of filing and the mother of all head slaps if he didn't "for God's sake fuck me already" for Tony to relent and take him at an almost brutal pace. He stroked Gibbs to completion as he fought the overwhelming need to come wanting them to climax together. They shouted each other's name when they finally came together before sliding down the shower wall in a sated, boneless heap.

The water was uncomfortably cold by the time they came down from their orgasmic highs. Gibbs managed to reach up and turned off the water. He then slowly stood and stepped out of the shower on wobbly legs to grab two large bath towels from under the sink. Tony grumbled as he gently patted himself dry before wrapping the scratchy towel around his waist. "For God's sake man, get some fabric softener or at least dryer sheets!"

Tony glared at a smirking unrepentant Gibbs in the mirror a few minutes later when he tilted his head to the side while shaving and got his first good look at the vivid purple hickey on the side of his neck, where no ordinary shirt collar could possibly cover it. "Dammit, Gibbs," Tony barked out with a laugh. "You know, you're lucky it's turtleneck season!" Tony couldn't really be mad about the hickey. After all, he did want to be marked by Gibbs and marked he most definitely was.

Gibbs shrugged unapologetically and continued shaving earning a firm smack on his left ass cheek, which even through the towel wrapped around his waist packed a nasty sting. "Ouch! DiNozzo, are you trying to make me cut myself?" They turned and stared at each other and burst out laughing. There they stood, faces half covered with lather, razors in hand looking like two quick draw gunslingers in an old western movie.

When they finally finished shaving, Gibbs raised a curious eyebrow as he leaned against the doorframe and watched Tony rummage through his dresser and nick his favorite red hooded Marine Corp sweatshirt. He pulled it on with his jeans from last night, now warm and dry after a few minutes tumbling in the dryer. Tony returned the look with a cheeky grin. "What? _You_ don't have any turtlenecks and _I_ didn't bring anything that will cover a gigantic monster hickey."

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head as he snatched an old faded navy blue NIS t-shirt from the pile of shirts in the drawer and put it on over a long-sleeved white t-shirt. He stepped into a pair of faded jeans and looked at Tony questioningly when he noticed him scowling. "Something wrong, Tony," he asked before grabbing two pairs of socks from the top drawer of his dresser and throwing one pair to Tony.

Tony caught them and sighed mournfully. "Those jeans are too baggy. I like the butt huggers you had on last night."

* * *

They took separate cars to the IHOP because they both had prior commitments later that day. Gibbs had promised weeks ago to go fishing with Fornell at noon and Tony was expected at McGee's in the afternoon with pizza and beer to watch the Cowboys-Redskins game. Over hearty breakfasts of pancakes, hash browns, bacon, toast, and bottomless cups of coffee they discussed how they were going to handle coming out officially as a couple.

Gibbs agreed with Tony assertion that it was probably best to keep the news to a pretty small circle of their closest and most trusted friends, at least for the time being. It was almost frighteningly clear that no one supposedly already in the know had a problem with them being together. In fact, they were both a bit overwhelmed by the encouragement and support they had already received.

The one wild card was Ziva. Her attitude toward Tony seemed to shift from friendly to contemptuous without any rhyme or reason. She would say the most hurtful, cruel things and cut Tony down one day, then be all sweet and flirtatious with him the next. He could typically tell within the first ten minutes of arriving in the bullpen which way she was liable to go on any given day.

Ziva, Abby, and Palmer were also going to be at McGee's for the game. Tony offered to talk to Ziva and make sure she was okay with the change in their relationship. "I just hope she's okay with us," Tony said with a frown. "We might be in big trouble if she's not."

"Tony, she either accepts it or she doesn't. Maybe we should go ahead and tell Vance t and give him a heads up, just in case Ziver does have a problem with us now. I'm supposed to meet with him first thing tomorrow anyway. He's the only one we _really_ have to worry about," Gibbs warned. Before Tony could protest telling Vance so soon, Gibbs grabbed his hand. "Tony, it's gonna be okay. Trust me?"

Tony nodded hesitantly, and then for some reason suddenly started giggling. At Gibbs' bemused expression Tony said with a chuckle, "Man, I can't wait to see the look on Vance's face when we tell him."

Finally, the subject of Stan came up making Tony instantly regret eating a big breakfast. Gibbs squeezed his hand and said, "Hey, we can talk to Stan together if you want. Hell, he may decide to stay afloat or request a transfer halfway around the world if he knows you are with me now."

Tony nodded and sighed. "I think I should be the one to tell him. But Jethro, what if he still wants to transfer back to D.C.? I walked out on him twenty damn years ago, but he shows up at your house yesterday and asks you for advice on winning me back? I don't get it and it kind of freaks me out. I think we're gonna have to tell Vance about me and him too. I hate it, but I don't think there's any way to avoid it," Tony said sadly.

Gibbs grinned proudly at Tony and said, "Pretty brave there, DiNozzo. I'm proud of you."

Tony let out a relieved sigh and smiled back at Gibbs as their waitress showed up with the check. Tony snatched it off the table then pulled out his wallet and dropped enough bills on the table to cover the check and a nice tip. When they stepped out into the crisp fall morning, Tony pulled Gibbs around the side of the building for a proper good-bye kiss.

"You and Fornell have fun fishing," Tony said as he pulled a face and shuddered at the thought of dealing with slimy, smelly fish all day. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Gibbs pecked Tony on the lips and looked into his eyes. "Call me later and let me know how your talk goes with Ziver." After one last all too brief kiss they parted and got into their respective cars. Tony turned right out of the parking lot and watched in the rearview mirror as Gibbs turned left to head toward home.

* * *

Tony unlocked his apartment and dropped his bag on the floor next to the door. He tossed his keys onto the breakfast bar and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge before heading down the hallway to his bedroom. He decided that showing up at McGee's place wearing a sweatshirt that obviously belonged to Gibbs would lead to a barrage of questions, so Tony changed into a soft dark green turtleneck.

The grandfather's clock in the corner of the living room struck ten o'clock. Since he didn't need to be at McGee's until a little before 4:00, Tony settled in to pay his bills and balance his checkbook after throwing a load of towels into the washer. He snickered to himself as he filled the dispenser with Snuggle fabric softener and made a mental note to grab a bottle for Gibbs.

An hour later with his bills paid, checkbook balanced and towels now tumbling in the dryer, Tony set to work tidying up his apartment. He had learned long ago that doing housework was much more tolerable with some tunes cranked up. After setting the iPod connected to his top of the line stereo to shuffle, he danced around the kitchen to "Happy Feet" by Blur as he unloaded the dishwasher and put the dishes away. The music wasn't loud enough to disturb his neighbors, but it was loud enough that he didn't hear the phone in the living room ringing.

With his arms loaded down with pizza boxes and a 12-pack of beer Tony stood on the front porch and leaned on the doorbell. He rolled his eyes when McGee opened the door with a knowing smirk firmly in place.

"You gonna make me stand here all day, Probie? My arms are kinda falling asleep," Tony barked in mock exasperation.

McGee snickered then took the beer and waved Tony inside. "Guess you were too busy yesterday to call me," McGee asked accusingly. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, great in fact. Sorry I didn't call you back. Spent the day working on the boat with Gibbs, then we went out for dinner, and I guess I forgot," Tony said with a shrug.

Tony took a good look around as he followed McGee into the kitchen. McGee had used the advance from his last book to put a sizable down payment on a newer three bedroom, two and a half bathroom suburban Alexandria house two years ago. The house was tastefully and conservatively decorated to suit McGee's tastes despite Abby having a hand in picking out many of the furnishings.

After putting the 12-pack in the refrigerator, McGee turned around to find Tony leaning against the counter staring down at the floor. "Tony, something wrong?"

Tony's head snapped up and he met McGee's concerned expression. "Oh, sorry. Just thinking. Hey McGee, have you talked to Ziva since Friday night?"

McGee took a deep breath. "Yeah. Not sure if she's gonna show up today. She kind of freaked out when we told her about you and Gibbs. Not sure why, really. Abby has been trying to get a hold of her since yesterday morning but keeps getting voicemail. Tony, I think you're gonna have to talk to her."

"That was the plan," Tony said with a sigh. "I hope she shows up. I don't want to wait until we're at work tomorrow to try and talk to her. I want to make sure she's okay with me and Gibbs. If she's not, Gibbs and I will have to tell Vance, and God only knows what he'll do. Guess we'll find out, huh?"

"Yeah, Abby, Palmer and I were talking about that last night. We have your backs, Tony, and so does Ducky. I know you won't let your relationship, whatever it ends up being, affect the team. As far as I'm concerned, if Ziva can't deal with it she can transfer to another team," McGee said as he stood with his arms crossed over his chest in a show of defiant solidarity with Tony and Gibbs.

Tony swallowed hard a few times before finally croaking out a sincere and heartfelt, "Thanks McGee." McGee smiled and nodded at Tony.

Abby broke the emotional spell as she bounced into the kitchen from the garage loaded down with grocery bags full of additional snacks and drinks for the football game. McGee rushed to relieve her of several bags earning a loving kiss. Abby beamed at Tony then ran over and kissed his cheek. "Hey Tony! How's Gibbs? Where's Gibbs? Oh my God, don't tell me you already broke up? Oh no! Oh my poor Tony," Abby rambled before he grabbed her shoulders and started laughing.

"Calm down, Abs! Gibbs went fishing with Fornell. Promised him a few weeks ago I guess. Don't worry my Mistress of the Dark, Gibbs and I are just fine," he muttered while waggling his eyebrows. Abby jumped up and down squealing loudly and McGee rolled his eyes dramatically causing Tony to double over laughing. No one heard the knock on the front door.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Okay, it took four takes but I finally got this chapter done! I hope you all like it.

Warning: Still no beta so all mistakes are mine and mine alone!

Disclaimer: I do not own the recognizable characters or places, just the plot. I am making no money from this story and no copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Ch 9

It was nearly 9:00 by the time Tony finally got back to his place. He unlocked the door and switched on the light then crossed the room to pour a double single malt scotch to take out onto his rooftop patio off of the living room. It was his favorite place to sit and relax whether over donuts, coffee, and the Sunday Post sports section on a rare weekend off, or a cold beer to unwind after a long day of working a difficult case. Tony had splurged on hiring a professional landscaper to create a country garden complete with a rustic fountain, large stone planters filled with hardy perennial plants and flowering shrubs, and a pergola overhang to provide a bit of shade during the hot summer months. Solar powered landscape lights and small concealed outdoor speakers created an ideal setting for a small intimate gathering, not that Tony ever planned to entertain.

The patio was his refuge where he could sit back and let the sounds of the city wash over him from his perch high above the bustling street below. He threw open the French doors then plopped down onto a thickly padded chaise lounge and sighed contentedly. With his long legs stretched out in front of him he took a sip of his scotch and let the events of the day replay in his head.

* * *

_Ziva showed up while Tony, McGee and Abby were talking and laughing in the kitchen as they worked together to set up the breakfast bar as a makeshift buffet. They suddenly stopped laughing when they all noticed Ziva standing in the kitchen doorway looking uncharacteristically subdued. _

_Forcing a smile, Ziva said, "I am sorry for just walking in McGee. I knocked but you must not have heard me."_

_McGee, both surprised and relieved that Ziva had decided to show up, smiled warmly at her. "That's okay Ziva, come on in. Glad you could make it. You want a beer," he asked as he pulled a bottle from the refrigerator, twisted off the cap, and carried it over to her. She accepted the bottle with a polite nod and a thank you before stepping further into the kitchen. She hazarded a sideways glance and noticed Tony and Abby leaning against the counter by the sink, both eyeing her curiously._

_"Hello Abby, hello Tony," she greeted with a curt nod._

_Abby slowly walked over to Ziva and resisted her natural urge to pull her into a hug. "Hey Ziva, I'm glad you came. I tried calling you a bunch of times yesterday. Didn't you get my messages," Abby asked sounding almost timid. _

_Ziva gave her a weak smile. "Yes Abby, I did, but I need time to think about some of the things we said." She stared back at Abby for a moment then asked nervously, "I am ready to talk now, if you would still like to. Do you think we could we step outside for a few minutes, to talk in private?" Abby grinned and nodded enthusiastically then led Ziva out through the sliding patio door and onto the large deck off of the adjoining dining room._

_Tony was left standing in the kitchen staring at McGee, who was munching on and handful of corn chips and didn't appear the least bit troubled. "Uh s'cuse me McFrito, you want to tell me what the hell that was all about?"_

_McGee rolled his eyes and said, "I told you. Ziva kind of freaked out the other night. I'm not sure what set her off, but after Abby and I explained the situation with you and Gibbs she said some shit about you and Abby got really pissed. They got into a big argument. Palmer tried to step in, but Ziva stormed out. Abby tried to call her yesterday and last night to apologize and talk, but she just kept getting voicemail. Tony, you really need to talk to her. I didn't get the impression that she was mad or really upset about finding out about you and Gibbs. In fact, she muttered something about already knowing about him. I think she's upset that she didn't know about you. Tony, I think Ziva was pissed off because has feelings-for you."_

_Tony closed his eyes and dropped his head. "I was afraid of that. Things have gotten weird between us ever since CI Ray blew into town. McGee, I'm really sorry you guys got stuck in the middle. I shouldn't have left it to you to tell her. Think maybe you and Abs can give me and Ziva a few minutes to talk before Palmer gets here?" McGee looked at his watch and responded with a nod and a pat on the shoulder as he walked past Tony. He went outside and stayed with Abby after sending Ziva back inside to talk to Tony._

_"Can we sit," Tony asked motioning for Ziva to take a seat at the kitchen table. Ziva pulled out the chair across from Tony and together they sat for several moments of awkward silence before Tony finally spoke. "Look Ziva, I'm really sorry you had to find out about me and Gibbs the way you did. It's my fault. I should have been the one to tell you. It's just, well, everything happened so fast the other night, and I'm still a little freaked out myself."_

_"Where is Gibbs? I thought for sure he would be here," Ziva asked coolly._

_"Um, he went fishing with Fornell. Don't ask. They planned it weeks ago I guess. Um, Ziva, are you gonna be okay with this, with me and Gibbs I mean? McGee said you freaked out and got in a fight with Abby. It won't change how Gibbs and I feel, but for the sake of the team, and our friendships, we need to know if it's going to be a problem."_

_"I just do not understand, Tony," Ziva exclaimed with a touch of hurt and bitterness in her voice. "It is so sudden and it does not make any sense!"_

_What Tony had hoped would be a quick little chat turned into a much longer in depth talk that he simply was not prepared for. Painful events from the past, including his heartbreaking relationship with Jeanne and then Jenny getting killed, were dredged up as Ziva pled her case that their relationship had evolved over the last couple of years from mere friendship into something deeper and more meaningful. She reminded him that __**she **__was the one who was there for him after Jeanne, and how things changed for the better between them after her disastrous relationship with Ray Cruz imploded. They had gone from harmless flirting, sniping, and teasing to actually talking and sharing personal aspects of their lives. _

_Tony admitted that he had been physically attracted to her in the beginning, but then he plainly reminded her of the whole mess with Rivkin and her hurtful and unfounded allegations that he basically murdered her lover out of spite and jealously. With everything that transpired after that incident, it became down to a lack of trust coupled with a sense of betrayal that Tony simply could not get past. _

_"I'm sorry Ziva. I know we've been through a lot together, both good and bad, but after our little trip to Israel when you had me turned over to Mossad and my lovely chat with your father, there's no way you and I could ever be together. On the job I know I can trust you with my life and to have my six, but after everything that happed after you turned your back on me because of Rivkin, I just can't afford to trust you with my heart. I've tried to let it go and move past it, but I just can't," Tony said sadly._

_Ziva countered with questions about the hundreds of one-night stands he constantly bragged about. She could not understand how Tony could sleep with so many women and now suddenly be gay and in love with Gibbs. She went so far as to question if some of his conquests had actually been men and if that is the real reason why no one on the team ever got to meet any of Tony's dates. _

_Tony ran a hand down his face and let out an exasperated sigh. "No, they were all women, and for the record Gibbs and I are both bisexual, not gay. I didn't have a clue about him being bi until the other night. Shocked the hell out of me when he smiled at me and told me he was interested. That's why we left. We went back to my place to talk. Look, this isn't the time or the place to get into all of this, but other than Gibbs there's only been __**one**__ other guy in my life. It happened way back when I was in college. Gibbs is only the second man I've ever had feelings for, and I'm not gonna give him up." Not knowing what else to say Tony shrugged._

_"But why now, and why Gibbs," Ziva asked in utter confusion and frustration._

_Tony chuckled. "I honestly don't know. Timing, I guess. I never dreamed that Gibbs could feel the same way about me. I've been crazy about him for years though, pretty much since the day we met. I knew I'd never have the guts to tell him to his face, so I wrote the song instead. I never thought he'd hear it and I didn't expect him to be there Friday night, but Abby made him promise to show up. Ziva, there's no one in the world that I respect or admire more than Gibbs, and I know for a fact that he will never intentionally hurt me or lie to me. Well, that is unless he's under orders from Vance or Sec Nav, but as long as I've known him he has never lied to me on a personal level." _

_When Ziva nodded sadly in understanding, Tony decided to lighten the mood so with a smile and a wink he said in a stage whisper, "Not to mention, he's pretty damn hot and sexier than hell!"_

_Ziva couldn't hold back a laugh at that. "Yes, Tony, he is, but I do __**not **__need to hear any details!" Tony blushed slightly then joined in the laughter until Ziva sobered and said, "Tony, I am sorry. I was wrong not to trust you and not to believe you about Mikal and my father's involvement. I also wish you could have told me how you felt about Gibbs. It hurt knowing that you did not trust me. I may need some time to get used to the idea of you and Gibbs, um, being together, but if you are happy then I will stand by you-both of you."_

_Tony stood and offered his hand to Ziva, which she took with a shy smile. He pulled her to her feet and pulled her into a gentle friendly hug. "Thanks. So we're good then, and you and Abs kissed and made up?" he mumbled into her hair. "I don't want to lose you as a friend because of this."_

_Ziva pulled back in his arms and smiled. "Everything is fine, Tony. Maybe one day we can sit down and really talk. I don't want anything to come between us and keep us from being partners and friends either. Just give me time." When she heard a loud collective boo coming from the living room she took Tony's face in her hands and kissed his cheek. "We should join the others. I think we are missing the football game, though I still do not understand why it is called __**foot**__ball." Tony chuckled and with his hands on her shoulders steered her into the living room to take a seat a seat in McGee's leather recliner. The Cowboys had just scored their second touchdown and were up 14-7 over the 'Skins midway through the first quarter._

_At half-time everyone adjourned to the kitchen to load up plates with pizza and a take-out pasta dish Palmer had picked up on the way over. Fresh beers were passed out and everyone returned to their seats in time for the second half kick-off._

_Tony plopped down on the couch next to Palmer and got settled in. "Hey Gremlin, glad you could join us," Tony teased around a mouthful of pizza before glancing over at McGee and Abby, who were cuddled up on the adjacent loveseat. The three of them exchanged understanding nods that the 'Ziva situation' had been successfully resolved. _

_Abby refused to let Tony leave until he fessed up to what happened with Gibbs over the weekend and she insisted on hearing all of the sordid details. Sitting around the fire pit in the backyard after the Cowboys 35-7 rout of the Redskins, Tony ran down the more PG-rated events of the weekend. He purposefully omitted mentioning his run ins with Stan._

_"Friday night after the show we went to my place and talked, and I mean we just talked," Tony said while fixing a pointed look at Abby, who huffed and pouted at the lack of juicy details. He then told them about spending Saturday afternoon working on the boat, their dinner date, meeting Norman and Lydia in the park, and the car accident they were nearly involved in. Abby whined like a petulant child when he gave her a sly wink and told her that everything else was classified. _

_"Gibb and I aren't planning on telling Vance about us unless we absolutely have to," he announced a few moments later. "He hates me enough that he would probably transfer my ass to the moon if he found out. I want you __**all**__ to know that __**nothing**__ at work is going to change. I'm sure Gibbs will still yell at me and smack my head like he always has. At work he is still my boss; no special treatment and how we work as a team will __**not**__ change. Whatever happens out of the office stays out of the office. For now only you guys, Ducky and Fornell know about us, and we'd __**really**__ like to keep it that way, okay?" His stern look morphed into a grin when they nodded in unison with a chorus of "sure thing, Tony."_

_Tony stood and made a show of looking at his watch and declaring that it was getting late and he better head home. Abby wiped a happy tear from her eye and hugged Tony for all he was worth. She held on tight and only released him when he squeaked out that he couldn't breathe. McGee followed up with slap on the back and a handshake. _

_"Hey Tony," Palmer called out as Tony turned to walk away. When Tony turned back and looked at him curiously he continued, "I really hope this works out for you, and um, Agent Gibbs. It's good to see you happy." A congratulatory handshake turned into a brief manly hug. _

"_Thanks Palmer. I appreciate that," Tony said with a smile before calling out a "good night" and waving to McGee and Abby._

_"Tony, we will talk again, yes," Ziva asked quietly as she walked with Tony to his car. _

_"Yep and soon, I promise. G'night, Z, and thanks," he said sincerely before climbing behind the wheel and turning the key bringing the engine roaring to life._

* * *

Tony finished off his drink and headed back inside as the chilly night air caused him to shiver. While locking the patio doors he noticed the red light on his answering machine flashing. He had only been gone one day, so his eyebrows shot up in surprise when he looked and saw that he had 12 messages. He had been considering getting rid of his land line altogether since the only people he wanted to talk to called him on his cell. The only calls he got at home were from telemarketers and political campaigns with an occasional call from his dad thrown in every couple of months. He pushed the "Play" button and headed back to the bar for one more finger of scotch before calling it a day. After a number of hang-ups and one call from Amber something-or-other, who called him a jerk and an asshole for not calling her after their date a couple of weeks ago, a familiar soft but almost desperate sounding voice came through the speaker.

"Hey T, uh, it's Stan. I _really_ need to see you. We need to talk. I'll call back later." *Beep*

Tony stared at the answering machine and was startled when his cell phone suddenly rang. Relieved to see "Gibbs" show up on the caller ID when he pulled his phone from his pocket, Tony let out the breath he had been holding before answering. "Hey Jethro! How was the fishing? You get a _big one_ for me," Tony teased. Hearing Jethro's soothing voice calmed him and Stan's message was all but forgotten, at least for the time being.

They talked for nearly an hour, which Tony figured had to be a record for Gibbs. After Gibbs regaled him with the story of the "big one that got away", Tony told him all about his rather emotional talk with Ziva and his promise that they would talk again soon. Satisfied that the Ziva crisis had been averted, Gibbs followed up by admitting that he had been coerced into sharing more with Fornell than he had ever intended, getting a laugh out of Tony who was positive that he could actually hear Gibbs blushing. Tony in turn confessed to telling the others about their date. "Of course, I left out the best parts," he murmured huskily, letting his voice drop in register.

They made plans for dinner the next night with the standard caveat of barring a new case. Tony offered to cook one of his famous pasta dishes and there was no way Gibbs would ever turn that down. Gibbs offered to bring a bottle of wine and Tony reminded him to bring his kit too, sounding almost bashful at the prospect of making love with Gibbs again. They were both stifling yawns by the time they finally said their good nights.

"Good night, Tony. Love you."

"Night, Jethro. Sweet dreams. I love you too."

As soon as Tony flipped his phone closed his land line rang again. He tossed back the last bit of his scotch and walked over to where the phone and answering machine sat on a small writing desk in the corner of the room. The caller's number appeared as "Blocked" on the caller ID so Tony again let the machine pick up.

"T, _please_ pick up. I know you're home now and we really need to talk," Stan begged. After a few seconds of silence he growled impatiently, "Okay fine, but you can't just ignore me. We _will_ talk soon." *Beep*

Tony stared at the red light flashing anew. Hearing a sound out in the hallway, he spun around and immediately noticed that he had forgotten to lock his front door. He ran over and turned the deadbolt, sliding the security chain in place for good measure. He leaned back against the door breathing hard before slowly sliding down to the floor. _"How did he know I was home? How does he know where I live? How did he get my phone number? Oh shit, he sounded pissed! What the hell does he want from me?"_

He thought about calling Gibbs but decided against it and got ready for bed after checking all the doors and windows. It was silly since he lived on the top floor of the building, and Tony had to remind himself that he was a grown man and an armed federal agent. He could take care of himself and didn't need Gibbs to come running to the rescue to protect him like he was some damsel in distress. After taking care of his nightly routine, Tony took his loaded Sig from the decorative wooden lock-box on his dresser where it was stored and placed it next to the alarm clock on his nightstand. He pulled back the covers and crawled into bed. He turned off the bedside lamp and sighed as he realized how much he wished Gibbs was there with him. Snuggling in under the covers and smiling at the memory of making love with Gibbs for the first time Tony fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

Across town, Gibbs was finishing tidying up his workbench when he heard footsteps coming across the floor upstairs then down the basement steps. A sly grin slowly formed on his lips at the thought of Tony missing him and coming over to spend the night. He frowned and his brow furrowed when he turned and saw Stan standing at the foot of the stairs instead.

"Hey Boss," Stan said flatly as he made his way over to Gibbs. As he did so many times when an unexpected visitor, usually Tony or Fornell, showed up unannounced, Gibbs dumped some nails out a small mason jar, gave it a cursory dusting out with an old dirty rag, and poured a good measure of bourbon into it. He handed the small glass to Stan and poured an equal amount into the old chipped coffee mug he kept on the workbench. After a silent toast, Stan said tiredly, "Thanks."

Gibbs nodded and leaned against the workbench. A quick appraisal of his former partner made it clear that Stan was upset about something. His demeanor was off and he wore a deep frown and had a kind of far off look in his eyes. Out of curiosity and concern Gibbs asked, "What brings you by this time, Stan? Everything okay?"

Stan shrugged and huffed out a breath. "Guess I was just bored. Figured it was early enough that you'd still be down here."

Noticing that Stan would not or could not look him in the eye, Gibbs cocked his head and said more authoritatively, "You wanna try that again? What's really going on?"

Stan sighed then dropped down to sit on a dusty wooden sawhorse next to the workbench. "I saw him again last night, but _this _time he was on a date."

Gibbs didn't need to ask who "he" was. Obviously, Stan had seen him and Tony together the night before. Gibbs narrowed his eyes and carefully contemplated his next move. Deciding to feign ignorance, Gibbs decided to find out what Stan's intentions were now that he had seen them together. Gibbs had the advantage of Stan being unaware that Tony had told him about their past relationship, but he knew that he needed to proceed with caution.

Gibbs snorted for effect hoping to get some reaction. "Stan, why the hell are you still hung up on this guy? I mean Jesus, it ended twenty goddam years ago!"

"Yeah, it did, but I never got over it-or him. I know I screwed up royally, but I _really_ loved him, Gibbs. Still do. No one before or since has made me feel the way he did. I want him back, and I'll do whatever it takes to get him back," Stan stated emphatically, finally looking Gibbs dead in the eye.

Gibbs' hands involuntarily balled into fists, his possessive nature suddenly shifting into overdrive. Stan was throwing down the gauntlet and directly challenging him, with Tony as the prize to be awarded to the champion. Gibbs took Stan's challenge as a direct threat, so he cleared his throat and asked straight up, "Just how far are you willing to go, Stan?"

Stan gave a satisfied smirk in response. "Like I said, I'll do whatever it takes." Stan tossed back the rest of his drink and slammed the small jar down onto the workbench. He eyed Gibbs for a moment then stood and turned toward the stairs. "He's worth fighting for Gibbs, and **I** fight to win. Thanks for the drink."

Gibbs watched as Stan trotted up the stairs. He heard his heavy footsteps cross the living room floor above followed by the front door slamming shut. He stood there unmoving as Stan's words sank in. He could not and would not take Stan's veiled threat lightly because there was simply too much at stake. He reached for his phone wanting and needing to hear Tony's voice to know that he was safe. He was about to press the speed dial number for Tony's cell, but instead he flipped his phone shut and bolted for the stairs.

* * *

Tony was startled awake by someone pounding on his front door. It took a few seconds to clear the fog of sleep and he grumbled as he rolled out of bed and belted his robe loosely around his waist. "Jesus Christ, I'm coming," he yelled at the incessant pounding on the door. He looked through the peep hole then quickly unchained and unbolted the door. He barely had the door open when Gibbs burst in and hugged him tightly.

"Tony, you all right," Gibbs asked sounding more than a little worried. He made a quick assessment of Tony, who was perfectly fine except for his hair sticking up in a dozen different directions. Gibbs suddenly felt like an idiot for showing up in the middle of the night and bursting in like a knight in shining armor. Tony had obviously been tucked safely away in bed and asleep.

Getting over his initial shock, Tony barked, "I'm fine! Gibbs, what the hell are you doing here? It's like 1:00 in the damn morning! You know, my boss is not going to be happy with me showing up for work after only getting five minutes of sleep!"

Gibbs, noticing that Tony was looking at him like he had completely lost his mind, looked down at his feet and mumbled an apology for waking him unnecessarily.

"S'cuse me? Did you just apologize," Tony asked with a hand held up behind his ear for effect. "Gibbs, Jethro, what the hell is going on that you had to rush over here and bust my door down in the middle of the night?"

"Um, I missed you?" Gibbs replied sheepishly, trying not to sound as idiotic as he felt and failing miserably. He looked away as he felt his cheeks flush.

Tony snorted then put his hands on his hips and glared at Gibbs. "Bullshit, try again," Tony demanded with one eyebrow raised for emphasis. He suddenly flashed back to the night he and McGee showed up in the bullpen dripping wet after finding Ari's sniper's nest and encountered "nice Gibbs" for the first time. Tony knew right then that whatever was bothering Gibbs had to be something serious.

Unwilling and unable to lie to Tony, Gibbs sighed and said, "I needed to see that you were okay. Stan paid me a visit tonight. Said he saw you on a date last night. He knows about us now Tony, and he didn't sound too happy about it. He didn't let on that he saw you with me, and told me he is willing to fight for you. Said he will do whatever it takes to get you back. Tony, it sounded an awful lot like a threat, and I think he's serious."

Tony went pale then walked over and dropped down onto the couch and put his head in his hands. Gibbs was by his side immediately running a hand soothingly up and down Tony's back. "Tony, was is it?"

Tony turned to Gibbs and said, "He knows where I live, and keeps calling and telling me he needs to see me and that we _will _talk. I don't know how he got my _unlisted_ phone number, Jethro. Messages are still on the machine but the caller's number is blocked. Jesus, Jethro, what's he playing at?"

Gibbs grabbed Tony's hands and held them tight. "I don't think he's playing, Tony."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Okay, I swear I did not intend on turning Stan into a complete psycho-stalker! My muse went much darker than I planned, but who am I to argue? I apologize in advance to any Stan fans out there!

A special thank you goes out to "Coach" Amy H for her encouragement to not be afraid of 'the dark'!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. I am making no money and no copyright infringement intended.

* * *

Ch 10

No one walking past the bullpen Monday morning would have any idea that anything out of the ordinary had transpired among the members of the MCRT over the weekend. Gibbs was up in Vance's office with the other team leaders for their regular Monday morning status conference leaving the rest of his team ostensibly working on current case reports or reviewing cold cases. More often than not, however, the team would use the time out from under Gibbs' watchful eye to get caught up on more important things, like paper ball wars. Ziva rarely got involved in Tony and McGee's juvenile antics and usually served as lookout from her vantage point facing the stairs leading up to MTAC and Vance's office. If a call came in from dispatch, the games ceased immediately and they shifted into work mode. Tony would take the call and have McGee send the information to Gibbs while en route to the scene.

Tony was a consummate professional on the job and wasn't nearly as shallow as many people thought. McGee fully understood that the McNicknames, stupid jokes, movie references, and pranks, of which he was more often than not the chosen victim, were just Tony's way of coping with stress and battling his insecurities. He admired Tony's tenacity to seek justice for crime victims and their families and the team's impressive solve rate was due in large part to Tony's ability to put the disjointed pieces of a case together. McGee had been stunned but also incredibly honored to be the first person Tony confided in years ago about his long-held feelings for Gibbs, and over the years they had developed a brotherly sort of relationship. They fought like brothers at times but they also trusted each other like only brothers could.

Instead of their usual Monday routine, this morning found the team quietly finishing up the paperwork from their last case and getting the files and evidence ready to be couriered over to JAG. Tony was doing his best to function normally on only two hours of sleep and it showed. Now that he was involved with Gibbs, any teasing about his sexual exploits keeping him up late on a school night was ill-advised at best and suicidal at worst. Tony wouldn't appreciate anyone making light of their new found relationship, and Gibbs would probably smack him into next week for discussing the details of his personal life.

McGee settled for stealing coverts assessing sideways glances at Tony. Looking across the bullpen he noticed that Ziva was also eyeing him warily. Tony had been relaxed and appeared to be having a good time yesterday during the football game, but today something was definitely off with him.

"Hey Tony, you okay man," McGee finally asked. "You're not looking so hot."

Tony rolled his eyes then leaned back in this chair and sighed. "M'fine Probie. Just a little tired. I didn't get much sleep last night. _And_ before you ask it is _not_ for the reason you think," he said, staring McGee down and making him blush at the mere implication of Tony and Gibbs having hot, wild sex all night. "Got a strange phone call last night that kind of freaked me out, that's all."

Knowing that Tony would come to him if he needed to talk about it, McGee nodded his acceptance of the explanation and got back to work.

Tony put his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and thought back to the talk he had with Gibbs just a few short hours ago. They talked into the wee hours of the morning trying to figure out the best way to deal with Stan. Gibbs nearly blew a gasket when Tony again suggested meeting Stan alone to tell him about them and hopefully put an end to it once and for all. That had been the original idea, but that was before Stan showed up in Gibbs' basement with thinly veiled threats. After voicing their individual concerns a compromise was reached: Tony would go alone to meet Stan, but it would be in a very public setting where Gibbs could observe from a distance undetected.

"Tony, I can't promise that if he even so much as lays a hand on you I won't run over and beat the shit out of him," Gibbs declared.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tony couldn't help but smile coyly and bat his eyelashes at Gibbs. "My hero," he swooned in his best imitation of a Southern belle. The sight of Gibbs' hand involuntarily twitching, a well-known precursor to a powerful head slap, was the only thing that kept Tony from channelling Melanie Wilkes from "Gone With The Wind" and reciting a speech about bravery and gallantry.

Since Stan would hopefully only be in D.C. for a few more days they surmised that he would likely call later that day. Tony promised to let Gibbs know the second he did, and Gibbs made him further promise not to go out anywhere alone.

After an exaggerated eye roll Tony protested tiredly, "Jethro, I am an _armed_ federal agent. I'm not some princess locked up in a tower needing to be rescued. I'm a big boy now, and I think I can take care of myself."

"I know that Tony, but …," Gibbs paused and he looked away as his voice hitched and softened. "I-I-dammit DiNozzo, I can't lose you-not now!"

Touched by Gibbs' apparent need to assert his role as his protector, Tony relented and held up his right hand making the Boy Scout sign. "You're _not_ gonna lose me, but okay. If you're not around I promise to take McGeek or the little ninja with me wherever I go, except to the men's room! I'm tired of Ziva following me in there all the time as it is," Tony exclaimed while trying to hold back a smirk. Gibbs rolled his eyes then took Tony's face in his hands and kissed him.

With their foreheads touching, Gibbs said softly, "Thank you, Tony. I know I'm probably overreacting, but I don't know what Stan is capable of right now. I've never seen him like he was at my house tonight. He seemed-desperate, and I just want to know that you're safe."

Answering just as softly, Tony replied, "I know you do, and I love you for it."

Deciding there was nothing they could do until Stan contacted Tony again they finally fell into bed around 3:30 a.m. Tony's brain would not shut off as he wondered why after nearly two damn decades Stan was suddenly so determined to get him back. _"For crying out loud, it was only two months," _he thought to himself. It didn't make any sense and quite frankly it bordered on insanity. Gibbs wrapped a restless Tony up in his arms and held him, murmuring over and over that he would keep him safe. Tony placed a kiss right over Gibbs' heart then curled into his side with an arm thrown across him, and within minutes they were both fast asleep.

* * *

The typically hour-long meeting with Vance ran late, thanks to Agent Mike Matthews' whiny and long-winded diatribe about being stuck in Cyber Crimes, leaving Gibbs impatient and a bit cranky. He was over-tired and under-caffeinated, which was a dangerous combination on a good day. After the other team leaders finally left Gibbs stood in front of Vance's desk and silently stared down at him.

Vance looked up and with raised eyebrows returned the stare for a moment. "Something I can help you with, Gibbs," Vance asked nonchalantly as he reached for a toothpick from the small holder on his desk and motioned for Gibbs to take a seat.

Gibbs dropped down into one of the arm chairs in front of Vance's desk. "Stan Burley paid me a visit this weekend. He's on liberty while the Reagan is in port this week. He wanted me to talk to you about a transfer. Thinks he's been afloat too long. He wanted me to ask you about a field position here, in D.C.," Gibbs stated matter-of-factly, trying not to let his voice betray his feelings on the matter.

Vance chewed on his toothpick and locked his eyes on Gibbs'. "But you don't think that's a good idea. I can see it in your eyes. Tell me why."

Gibbs simply shrugged and replied, "He's a good investigator, Leon, but he's been out of the field a long time. It's not the same on a ship."

Vance stood and came around to lean against the front of his desk. "Well, since you worked with him before I could temporarily reassign him to your team. Might be a good way for him to transition back into the field."

Vance flinched when Gibbs suddenly stood and barked, "No way! Leon, do whatever you want with him, but I _do not_ want him back on _my_ team! He left my team years ago for a reason."

Holding his hands up in surrender, Vance said, "Okay Gibbs, just relax. I'll review his file and see if he'll fit in somewhere else. May not be here in D.C., but I'll see what I can do. Gonna have to find someone to replace him too, maybe I can trade Matthews for him and get him out of my hair. Tell you what, have Burley come in and see me before the Reagan is scheduled to deploy."

As Gibbs turned to leave, Vance called out, "Hey Gibbs, any particular reason _why_ you don't want him back on your team? Is there something I should know?"

Gibbs took a deep breath and stated, "Let's just say he left for personal reasons and leave it at that." Setting his jaw he nodded curtly and quickly left Vance's office. _"God I need coffee,"_ he thought to himself as he pulled out his cell phone and called Tony from the mezzanine outside of MTAC. "DiNozzo, coffee!"

Down in the bullpen, Tony chuckled as he flipped his phone shut. "I've been summoned by the bossman for a coffee run. You guys want anything?"

Ten minutes later Tony caught up with Gibbs outside at the coffee kiosk on the grounds of the Navy Yard. Gibbs turned and handed a large perfectly doctored hazelnut coffee to Tony earning a dazzling smile. "Awww, thanks Boss," Tony chirped. Gibbs half smirked in return.

They casually strolled over to a picnic table located under a large sycamore tree. Tony went to sit next to Gibbs then thought better of it and sat on the bench seat across from him instead. Not sure he could resist holding Gibbs' hand under the table Tony thought it best to keep a bit of distance between them.

"So, how'd it go with Vance," Tony asked before taking a sip of his coffee, sighing as the hazelnut flavor danced on his tongue.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and replied, "Same bullshit, different day. Nothing major to report. Matthews is still champing at the bit to take some of our cases. I guess fighting cyber-terrorism isn't exciting enough for him. There's a good reason that idiot hasn't spent a single day in the field in the last five years."

Tony chuckled then turning serious asked, "You talk to Vance about Stan wanting a transfer?"

"Yep. Son of a bitch actually suggested transferring him to our team temporarily and sending Mike Matthews to replace him!" Tony's jaw dropped open, but before he could utter a single word of protest Gibbs held up a hand. "I told him no way did I want him on _my_ team. He didn't push. Said it was just an idea to ease him back into the field. I'm supposed to have Stan stop in to meet with him before he ships out."

"I personally don't give a shit where he ends up as long as it's far away from you and me," Tony growled through clenched teeth, not wanting to make a scene. Unknown to Gibbs, Tony was just as concerned for his safety as Gibbs was for his. If Stan truly was desperate Gibbs as his rival could very well be in danger.

They sat and chatted for a few more minutes just enjoying the opportunity to spend a little down time in each other's company. Gibbs found himself struggling with a need to touch Tony so he abruptly stood and finished off the last of his coffee. "We better get back in case we get a call."

Tony smirked and together they walked back to the kiosk to get Gibbs a refill and to get coffees for McGee and Ziva. "Yeah, McGee might get the idea that we are off fooling around in a closet somewhere," Tony teased with a low whisper directly into Gibbs' ear. The head slap and stern look of disapproval that followed were not wholly unexpected.

Gibbs stopped and bought a Caf-Pow for Abby in the lobby before heading for the stairwell leading down to her lab. He usually made a point of visiting her first thing on Monday morning, but after crashing at Tony's he had to run home and change for work, barely making it to the office in time for his meeting. Tony stepped into the elevator and made sure the coast was clear before winking at Gibbs just as the doors closed.

With no call from dispatch, Gibbs and the team spent the afternoon discussing a couple of possible leads in a two-year old cold case. McGee rambled on for several minutes about algorithms, firewalls, and the various levels of encryption he had to break through to hack into an FBI database.

"McGee," Gibbs barked, "Is there a point to all this mumbo-jumbo?" Tony couldn't stop a snicker from escaping and earned his second head slap of the day. McGee and Ziva both grinned as Tony frowned and rubbed the back of his head causing Gibbs to glare at both of them. Tony's announcement at McGee's house the day before that nothing would change at work was most definitely holding true.

After dropping what Tony referred to as the "McGeek Speak", McGee summarized his findings about a current FBI investigation that may be tied to their cold case.

"Way to go McHacker," Tony exclaimed proudly.

Gibbs was impressed by McGee's ability to tie the two cases together. He didn't have a clue how he did it, and probably didn't want to know, but he was pleased that McGee had taken the initiative. The downside was that Gibbs would have to call Fornell and figure out a way to explain how they got the FBI's information without McGee being arrested. Offering to let the Feebs take credit for solving both cases usually did the trick, so Gibbs wasn't overly concerned.

Gibbs clasped a firm hand on McGee's shoulder then checked his watch and said, "That's good work, McGee. Okay, we'll pick this up first thing tomorrow. Back here at 0700." McGee puffed up and beamed with pride at getting an 'attaboy' from Gibbs and began gathering up his stuff.

It they were deeply involved in an active case Gibbs would have demanded that everyone stay and keep working. However, it was a cold case that could wait one more day. Besides, Gibbs was looking forward to getting Tony alone. He smiled as he powered down his computer.

"Hot dates tonight my darling probies?" Tony inquired cheerfully.

Ziva slung her backpack on her shoulder then stepped right into Tony's personal space and said, "Why yes Tony. As a matter of fact I do have a date, with a _very_ good-looking man I met Saturday night."

"Ooooooh," Tony and McGee exclaimed playfully in unison before high-fiving above her head.

"What about you, McProbster? Big plans with the lovely Abby tonight," Tony asked, daring McGee to say something about her in front of Gibbs. He may have given his tacit blessing to them, but Gibbs sure as hell did not want to hear details about any private aspect of their relationship.

McGee rolled his eyes then shook his head. "Nope, it's Monday Tony. Abby's bowling night with the nuns, remember? I'm gonna enjoy the peace and quiet at home and work on my new book."

"Ooooooh," rang out again, this time from Tony and Ziva.

"DINOZZO!" Gibbs barked out of habit putting an end to it. "If you all want to keep hanging around here I _can _find work for you to do. Otherwise, GO HOME!"

Tony hung around after McGee and Ziva called out their good-nights as they scurried to catch the elevator. He sauntered over to Gibbs' desk and looked around to make sure they were alone before asking conspiratorially, "We still on for dinner? I got my special marinara sauce thawing out?"

Gibbs narrowed his eyes and leaned in to whisper, "And I've got my overnight bag in my car."

Tony waggled his eyebrows then headed back to his desk to gather up his backpack, gun, and badge. He was about to sling the back pack onto his shoulder when his desk phone rang. He groaned at the thought of dispatch calling now. He picked up the receiver, but before he had a chance to say anything the caller hung up. Tony replaced the receiver and shrugged.

* * *

Tony loved to cook and being a proud Italian he would never dream of cutting corners by using sauce from a jar or boxed pasta. He preferred making fresh pasta when time allowed, but in a pinch he would make do with a bag of homemade pasta from the little authentic Italian grocery he found while out exploring his new neighborhood. All of his recipes made way too much, even when he cut them in half, so his freezer was typically filled with freezer bags of leftover sauces and a variety of single-serve containers of pasta dishes he could reheat in the microwave.

Tony whistled as he kept an eye on the boiling pan of penne pasta and stirred the marinara sauce, adding more oregano, sweet basil, and garlic to suit his taste while Gibbs spread garlic butter on a sliced up loaf of French bread.

While the garlic bread toasted in the oven, Gibbs threw together a salad and Tony set the table after retrieving a couple of long-stemmed wine glasses from the bar in the living room. Gibbs had surprised him by picking up a bottle of his favorite red from a popular local winery. It was a full-bodied apple-grape blend that would go perfectly with their meal.

When the penne was al dente to his liking, Tony drained and rinsed it in a colander then poured the pasta into a large Corning serving dish. He poured the marinara sauce over the top, added a handful of fresh grated parmesan for presentation, and carried the serving dish over and placed it on the table. The garlic bread followed a few minutes later in a bamboo basket lined with a large dark purple linen napkin.

Tony picked up the stereo remote from where it sat on the breakfast bar and selected a smooth jazz station. "This okay," Tony asked, not really knowing Gibbs' taste in music.

"_Anything_ but opera," was Gibbs' reply as he used his Marine Corp Zippo to light the two ivory candles ensconced in sterling silver candle holders placed in the center of the table. "That shit gives me a headache."

Tony shook his head and chuckled as he filled both of their wine glasses. Gibbs brought the salad over and after a chaste kiss both of them sat down and dug in.

"Damn, Tony! This is really good," Gibbs said appreciatively after a few bites before taking a sip of wine. He wasn't much of a wine drinker, usually sticking with bourbon or beer, but he did enjoy an occasional glass now and then.

Tony beamed across the table. "Grazie! All Italians are born knowing how to cook. You made a great choice on the wine, by the way. This is one of my favorites," Tony said as he raised his glass in a salute, which Gibbs returned with a wink.

Not wanting to let any mention of Stan ruin what was turning into quite a romantic evening, they kept the conversation focused on neutral subjects like favorite movies, books, and music. To Tony's surprise Gibbs knew more about movies than he ever let on. While Tony could and would watch just about anything, Gibbs preferred old classics and all westerns. They found that they both liked to read about history; Tony about far away and long-lost cultures, and Gibbs about world military history. When it came to music, they both agreed that they could handle just about anything except the noise usually blaring in Abby's lab. Tony garnered a great deal of sympathy when he told Gibbs about Abby dragging him off to see one of her friend's bands and how his ears rang for two days afterward.

Dinner was relaxing and both of them were stuffed after two servings each. Tony stifled a burp with the back of his hand before getting up to take their plates to the sink. Gibbs chipped in and rinsed the dishes while Tony loaded the dishwasher. Tony sent Gibbs out to the living room with the rest of the wine and told him to get comfy then set to work storing the leftovers and hand-washing the few pots and pans he had used, leaving them to air dry next to the sink. After a quick wiping down of the cooktop, table, and counters, Tony found Gibbs relaxing on the couch where a refilled glass of wine was waiting for him on the coffee table.

"Come with me. I wanna show you something," Tony said as he picked up his glass and headed for the patio doors. Gibbs grabbed his glass and dutifully followed him out into the balmy evening air.

Gibbs' eyes went wide as he took in Tony's little bit of paradise. "Wow! Tony, this is beautiful!"

Tony beamed proudly. "Thanks. I love it out here. Cost me a damn fortune, but it was totally worth it. Here, sit with me," Tony suggested as he stretched out on the large double chaise lounge by the fountain. He took Gibbs' wine glass and sat it with his on the small glass-topped table to his right before pulling Gibbs down next to him.

They got comfortably situated and looked up at the few stars visible in the night sky. The sound of the babbling fountain was relaxing as they held hands then turned to lie facing each other as they got down to a bit of good old-fashioned making out. They kept their kisses and caresses light not wanting to move things too far too fast.

Tony pulled back and smiled as he stared at Gibbs, who grew uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny. "What," he barked after a couple of minutes.

"Nothing," Tony said behind a grin. "Just like looking at you, now that I can do that any time I want. And I gotta tell you Jethro, you are one handsome man and pretty damn sexy too!"

Gibbs snorted. "Sexy? I don't think so! Attractive or handsome _maybe_, but I'm way too old to be sexy."

Tony leered purposefully up and down the length of Gibbs' body then leaned in until their lips were almost touching and fully dilated green eyes bore into their matching blue counterparts. "Bullshit. Let's go to bed so I can show you _exactly_ how sexy I think you are," Tony teased using his very best bedroom voice.

Gibbs was not at all surprised to see that Tony's bedroom was as elegantly decorated as the rest of his condo. A solid oak four-poster queen size bed was centered between two large windows and was covered with a deep blue duvet over steel gray sheets. A blue and gray striped occasional chair with a small oak table and small lamp resided in the corner to the right of the bedroom door, and a long oak mirrored dresser was placed against the wall on the left side of the room. Two doors led from the room: One to the left of the dresser was open into the en suite bathroom, and Gibbs deduced that the door to the right was to an enormous walk-in closet.

Tony came in and saw Gibbs just standing there with his hands on his hips. He walked over and wrapped his arms around Gibbs from behind and resting his chin on Gibbs' shoulder asked, "What'cha thinkin', Jethro?"

Gibbs shrugged and said softly, "Just wondering what the hell you want with a guy like me."

Tony turned Gibbs around and scowled when he saw a hint of despair in his eyes. "You mean a hot, sexy, brave, caring, loving, badass, Marine like you?"

Gibbs looked into Tony's eyes and shook his head. "No. I mean a guy who comes from a different world than you," he replied waving a hand around the room. "I can't compete with this, Tony. I'm a simple man, always have been, but you are young and gorgeous and you appreciate expensive clothes, cars and everything else that goes along with having a lot of money. Why the hell would you settle for a guy like me?"

Tony gave Gibbs his first ever but well-deserved head slap. When Gibbs looked at him with murderous glare, Tony shouted, "Because I love you, you idiot" He kissed Gibbs gently then said softly, "I have for years! Gibbs, _none_ of this material shit matters. Hell, most of this shit is stuff I inherited from various relatives over the years. None of it matters to me, Jethro. Yeah, it's what I grew up with, but it's not who I am. I love _you_, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and everything single thing about you. I don't know how much money you have and I really don't care. It's not important to me-you, however, are."

Gibbs saw, heard and felt Tony's sincerity and replied with a relieved nod before pulling Tony into a crushing hug.

When he was finally released, Tony smiled and with his arms draped over Gibbs shoulders said, "Okay, that's settled! Now, will you _please_ take me to bed? I want you to make love to me all (kiss) night (kiss) long (kiss)."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Much thanks for all of the very positive and encouraging reviews! You guys are the best!

This chapter starts out a bit steamy, but quickly turns creepy after Tony receives another mysterious phone call at work!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters or places. I am making no money for this work of fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

Warning: No beta so all mistakes are mine!

* * *

Ch 11

Tony woke up half an hour before the dreaded alarm clock was set to go off. He smiled at the bright red numbers staring back at him feeling a sense of peace, contentment, and happiness right down to the depths of his soul. He needed to get up and use the head but found himself held fast. At some point during the night he had rolled onto his right side and Gibbs had apparently followed suit and was now spooned up behind him.

Tony always hated clingy bed partners, which is why he never stayed over after a one-night stand. Cuddling afterward made the simple act of no-strings-attached sex too intimate, but knowing that it was Gibbs snuggled up to him left Tony feeling safe and loved as opposed to smothered or trapped. For the first time in his life, Tony DiNozzo was truly happy. He laid there and let the memory of Gibbs making love to him again play in his mind.

Once Tony had put Gibbs' insecurities about money and their different backgrounds to rest he surrendered himself to Gibbs, who took him to incredible new heights. Gibbs pulled two orgasms from Tony making him cry out in ecstasy both times before he finally came with an animalistic and possessive growl of his own.

It started slow and tender with Gibbs taking him incredibly slow wanting to make it last as long as possible, but that's not what Tony wanted. He wanted to unleash the animal he knew lived inside of Gibbs and it wasn't long before he got his wish. Long, deep, wet loving kisses turned more passionate as they devoured each other's lips. Gibbs pulled out just long enough to flip Tony over onto his stomach. He had Tony get up on all fours then slammed into him again taking him as forcefully as he dared. Tony only lasted a couple of minutes before he came without his cock ever being touched. While he was still shaking from the intensity of his first orgasm, Gibbs grabbed Tony by the hips, changed his angle slightly, and thrust into him alternating between short and fast, and long, slow, deep strokes. Tony nearly lost the ability to speak and was reduced to babbling and moaning with occasional strangled shouts of "Oh God" as Gibbs targeted his prostate.

When Gibbs heard Tony's hoarse voice announce, "Oh fuck, I'm gonna come again," he withdrew and carefully flipped Tony over onto his back again. He lifted Tony's legs up onto his shoulders, sank his throbbing cock back in, and began thrusting slowly and deeply. Tony matched him thrust for thrust and came a second time screaming "Oh God, JETHRO!" Looking down at the erotic visionTony presented as his chest and stomach were painted with a second coat of cum pushed Gibbs over the edge and he came, colored lights flashing behind his eyelids as he spurted over and over again deep inside Tony's body.

Tony was truly and utterly boneless by the time Gibbs gently pulled his spent cock out and collapsed in a heap next to him, both of them covered with sweat and gasping for breath. After several long minutes Gibbs rolled onto his side and with his head propped up on this hand looked down at Tony, who smiled sweetly but tiredly up at him. Gibbs returned the smile then leaned over and gently kissed Tony's already kiss bruised lips.

"God you are amazing. I don't think I will ever get enough of you," Gibbs said softly as he combed his fingers through Tony's sweaty hair.

"Not too bad yourself, Jethro," Tony said still breathing hard. "I don't remember _ever_ coming like _that_ before. It was in-freakin-credible!" They traded lazy kisses for a while until Tony declared, "Okay, I'm sticky and it's starting to itch like a bitch. Whadya say we grab a shower?"

"Sounds good," Gibbs replied. They both rolled out of the bed and headed for the bathroom on still somewhat rubbery legs. Gibbs snorted out a chuckle as he followed Tony, who pulled a bit to the right as he walked.

Tony didn't think it was fair that he came twice and Gibbs only once, so as soon as they were under the warm soothing spray of the shower he dropped to his knees and sucked Gibbs off in record time. It was quick and dirty and Gibbs thought he was going to lose what was left of his mind as Tony continually swallowed his length while sucking hard. Surprised that he could get rock hard again so soon, Gibbs couldn't do anything but lean back against the tiled shower wall and hold onto Tony's shoulders for support as he shot his second release down his throat. When Gibbs was steady on his feet and back to his senses, they quickly lathered, rinsed, and toweled off before returning to the bedroom.

They both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the bed, which was an absolute wreck. The duvet was lying in a heap by the closet door, the top sheet was nowhere to be seen, the fitted sheet had come off of the mattress at three of the corners, and only one of four pillows remained on the bed. The mattress itself was askew, which earned Gibbs an admiring look from Tony. "Dayum Jethro!" Tony declared with a laugh.

Gibbs quickly tugged the fitted sheet off and located the missing top sheet, which had somehow found its way under the bed along with two of the pillows, and stuffed the whole bundle in the hamper in the bathroom while Tony pulled fresh sheets from a stack in the linen closet. Working together it only took them a couple of minutes to make the bed and get the pillows and duvet back in place. It wasn't long before they were settled in and fast asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

Gibbs' internal clock caused him to suddenly roll onto his back and within seconds he was fully awake. He yawned and stretched then rolled back over and gazed at Tony who smiled back at him. Just as their lips were about to meet, the alarm clocked blared to life breaking the spell. Tony groaned as he flopped onto his back and reached over to slap the offending devise off.

"Good morning!" Tony chirped as he rubbed his eyes. "You sleep well?"

Gibbs leaned over and pecked Tony on the lips. "Sure did! You?"

"Like a baby. Man, you wore me out," Tony said with a laugh while waggling his eyebrows.

Gibbs laughed with him then suddenly turned serious, "I didn't hurt you, did I? I got, um, a little carried away last night." Tony chuckled at the sight of the blush creeping up on Gibbs' cheeks.

"What? No way! Are you kidding me? That was the most incredibly awesome experience I have _ever_ had. I may be a little sore for a day or two, but I loved every damn second of it." Tony ran his knuckles down Gibbs' cheek hoping to convey his sincerity. "And I can't wait to do it all over again," he said softly before raising his head to give Gibbs a reassuring kiss.

Tony declared that he _really_ needed to use the head and rolled out of bed with another groan. Everything ached but he didn't care one little bit. He saw Gibbs frowning as he struggled to stand and stretch, his muscles protesting after last night's physical exertion. Tony rolled his eyes and cocking his head at Gibbs and said, "Will you quit worrying about it! I. Am. Fine! I just had no idea that you were _that_, um, acrobatic in bed. I'm sure as hell not complaining, but I am gonna have to get in better shape to keep up with you."

Gibbs shook his head and chuckled as Tony retreated into the bathroom, then dressed quickly and headed for the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. He was thrilled to see that a full pot was already sitting there waiting for him along with two mugs. Of course Tony would have a fancy programmable coffee maker, complete with all the bells and whistles, as opposed to a cheap no-frills Mr. Coffee like his. He filled one of the mugs and took a long drink of the dark rich brew then topped it off again. He let out a satisfied sigh just as Tony appeared in the kitchen doorway dressed casually in a pair of dark blue jeans and a soft light blue v-neck sweater. Gibbs filled the second mug and handed it to Tony, who added a ridiculous amount of hazelnut creamer to it.

Gibbs turned down the offer of Pop-Tarts for breakfast, so Tony pulled a bowl of fresh fruit out of the fridge and asked Gibbs to pop four slices of whole wheat bread into the toaster. Their impromptu breakfast of fruit and honey-buttered toast was eaten bachelor style over the sink. After a quick clean-up, guns, badges, cellphones, wallets, and keys were retrieved and they were out the door and headed for their respective cars.

* * *

They had just reached the bullpen and were stowing their Sigs when Tony's desk phone rang. Cursing under his breath at the thought of dispatch calling so early he raised the receiver to his ear and answered with a terse, "DiNozzo," instead of his usual friendly _Very_ Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo greeting. He hated not having a little time to get settled and into work mode before getting called out on a case.

"HELLO," Tony bellowed impatiently when he did not get an immediate reply, getting Gibbs' attention in the process. All that followed was a click and a dial tone. Tony held out the receiver and stared at it for a moment before hanging up. "Huh, guess dispatch dialed the wrong number," he said with a dismissive shrug.

"Bullshit," Gibbs barked as he picked up the receiver of his phone and pushed the button for Abby's lab. He knew she would already be hard at work. It was common knowledge that she was the first person to pass through the security checkpoint every morning, usually before the sun came up.

"Hey Gibbs," she greeted cheerfully. "What can I do for you this lovely morning?"

"Abs, need a favor. I need the last incoming call to DiNozzo's phone. No, his desk phone. Okay, I'll be right down. I'm already on it, Abs." Leaving Tony with instructions to have Ziva and McGee work on their cold case, Gibbs headed for the elevator.

Gibbs strolled into the lab a few minutes later to find Abby furiously typing away on the computer keyboard on her workstation in the lab. "Whadya got for me, Abs?"

"What, I don't even get a kiss first? Not much for foreplay are you, Gibbs?" Abby teased as she hit a few more keys to bring an array of documents up on her plasma screen.

Gibbs rolled his eyes then acquiesced and bestowed a light kiss on Abby's cheek then held out a large Caf-Pow to her. "Better? Now-whadya got?"

Abby pointed at the plasma as she snatched the fruity drink from him. After sucking a good quarter of it up through the straw she slammed the drink down and began reciting her findings while clicking through the assortment of documents.

"It's kind of hinky, Gibbs. The number is from a cell phone registered to a Petty Officer Randy Mitchell. He's based at NAS San Diego but he's been UA for four months. This is really weird. He was scheduled to join the USS Ronald Reagan for his first deployment but he never reported to the ship. He was last seen at a club a couple of night before he was supposed to ship out. Hey check this out! Stan "The Man" Burley helped the San Diego MCRT with their investigation! Bummer, it looks like they never solved it. It's a cold case now."

The Reagan, the missing Petty Officer, calls from his phone, and Stan's involvement in the unsolved case could not just be mere coincidence. Gibbs' hands involuntarily balled into fists as he stared at the last document, a picture of Petty Officer Randy Mitchell from his service record. Twenty-two years old, six foot-two with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes. He had a lean athletic build and a bright toothy smile, and looked way too much like a younger version of Tony for Gibbs' liking. His gut was screaming at him that Stan was somehow involved in Randy Mitchell's disappearance.

"Gibbs? What is it," Abby asked softly as she approached Gibbs, who stood silently and stared expressionless at the screen. His posture had stiffened and his balled fists did not go unnoticed. Concerned by his reaction, she followed Gibbs' line of sight and got her first clear look at the photograph of Randy Mitchell. Her eyes went impossibly wide and she exclaimed, "Wow! Gibbs, he looks just like a really young Tony!"

Gibbs ignored the comment, swallowed hard, and tried to school his features. "I gotta get back upstairs," Gibbs muttered quietly, too quietly, as he made to leave only to have his path blocked by a glaring Abby.

Abby didn't have Gibbs' famous gut, but warning bells were going off in her head that something was wrong. She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at Gibbs. "Whoa, Mister! Something kinky is going on and it's something bad, I can tell. That kid looks an awful lot like Tony, and Tony just got a call from his phone! Is Tony in some kind of trouble? Gibbs, tell me what's going on so I can help."

Abby could always tell when any of the team tried hiding something from her. She could usually get Tony, Ziva and McGee to spill their secrets in fairly short order, but Gibbs was a tougher nut to crack. He wouldn't tell her anything until he was damn good and ready no matter what lengths she went to in an attempt to ferret out information from him.

"If there's anything to tell I promise you'll be the first to know. Send all of that up to me," Gibbs requested, getting a confused look from Abby. Not wanting to unduly worry her, Gibbs rolled his eyes for effect and kissed her cheek again. "I promise, Abs." Knowing that Gibbs would never lie to her, Abby stepped aside and allowed him to leave her domain.

While Gibbs was gone Tony decided to take a few minutes to do a bit of sleuthing of his own. He had picked up a few hacking tricks from McGee over the years and was now using those skills to access his phone company records. He scrolled through the short list of incoming calls for the last month, and other than his father's New York number from two weeks ago, there wasn't much activity except for a rash of calls from one number over the past few days. The hang-ups and voicemails from Stan all showed up as originating in San Diego.

"San Diego? What the hell?" Tony muttered to himself as he quickly jotted down the number. He tried to come up with an explanation as to why Stan would have a San Diego phone number and made a mental note to ask Gibbs if Stan had ever lived or been stationed in San Diego. Tony was pulled from his thoughts and quickly closed the search program when he heard the elevator ding and footsteps approach the bullpen.

"Good morning, Tony," Ziva greeted way too cheerfully as she shrugged out of her jacket and dropped her backpack behind her desk before sitting down and powering up her computer. She was uncharacteristically chipper and Tony was determined to find out why she was in such a good mood for a change.

"Good morning, Ziva," Tony replied with a smile of his own as he slowly stood and sauntered over to her desk. Leaning casually against the partition wall he teased, "My, my, aren't we Little Miss Sunshine this morning? I take it your hot date went well last night? Come on, I know. You're just _dying_ to tell me all about the new man in your life."

Ziva smirked up at Tony and declared, "Not that it is any of your business Tony, but yes my date went very well. As for the new "man in my life," his name is Scott. He is tall, about your age or possibly a couple of years older, and very, _very _handsome."

"Aha! Any chance we might get to meet him," Tony queried further. "You know, after the whole CI Ray thing Gibbs is gonna want to check this guy out. Tell me about him." Tony crossed his arms and stood relaxed, finding himself genuinely curious about Ziva's potential new beau. It was then that Tony noticed another change. Instead of her hair being pulled back into the rather severe ponytail he was accustomed to it was cascading down past her shoulders and framing her face giving her a much softer look. She was dressed the same as any other day, but upon closer inspection Tony noticed a hint of blush on her cheeks and a touch of color on her lips. Tony smiled at her. He always knew that Ziva was a beautiful woman, bordering on exotic, but today she was positively glowing.

Ziva huffed in exasperation before standing and coming around to the front of her desk to stand in front of Tony, who gave her an open leer. "There really is not much to tell, Tony. I do not know much about him-yet. He has very recently moved back to Washington, D.C. after several years working abroad and is looking to get into a new line of work. The only thing I do know about his current employment is that what he does is classified. I hope to find out more tonight. We are having dinner again, at my place."

McGee walked in during the middle of their conversation and had just gotten situated at his desk. While sorting through his unread email, McGee said, "Hey, maybe we could double date some night. You know Abby will want to meet this guy, and she won't take no for an answer."

Ziva narrowed her eyes at McGee. "That is not a bad idea, McGee. I do not believe he has any friends or family here. Hmmmm, maybe Tony and Gibbs would like to join us as well?" She turned her attention back to Tony and smirked while tapping a finger on her chin, knowing full well that Gibbs would never agree to it. Gibbs had always avoided socializing with the team, even if it was just for a quick drink after work to kick off the weekend.

McGee barked out a laugh. "Yeah, good luck with that! It'll never happen."

Tony stood to his full height and confidently challenged them both. "Twenty bucks says I can get Gibbs to go."

"You're on," McGee exclaimed excitedly, pointing at Tony as he jumped up and walked over to join the conversation. "Ziva, you in?"

"Of course, McGee," she said confidently. "I guarantee Gibbs will never go for it."

Tony shot a cocky grin at the two of them. "This will be like taking candy from a baby, or in this case like taking money from a probie. When it comes to Gibbs, I will have you know I can be _very _persuasive," Tony said suggestively, waggling his eyebrows making McGee instantly blush and Ziva scowl at him.

Hearing the ding of the elevator the three agents scampered to their desks, instinctively knowing that Gibbs had just arrived. Few things irritated Gibbs more than seeing his three agents standing around and goofing off on his time when there was work to be done.

"Good morning, Gibbs," Ziva said as he strolled past her and dropped down into his chair without a word.

"Uh, morning, Boss," McGee chimed in cautiously. When Gibbs again did not respond, McGee looked curiously from Ziva to Tony, who just shrugged.

Gibbs suddenly stood up and barked, "McGee, I want everything you can find on that FBI case. Ziva, you work with him. Find me a connection to our case. I'll deal with Fornell later. DiNozzo, you're with me."

Tony jumped up from his chair, wincing slightly, and trotted to catch up with Gibbs calling out an automatic, "On your six, Boss." He followed Gibbs into the break room then stood back and watched from a safe distance as his boss and lover had a mini breakdown while trying to make a pot of coffee. Cupboard doors and drawers were slammed shut as he searched for the "goddam filters".

Tony cautiously walked over to the counter that Gibbs was now leaning heavily against and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Gibbs flinched at the contact and his grip on the edge of the countertop increased until his knuckles turned white.

Concerned by the unexplained outburst, Tony asked quietly, "Gibbs, Jethro, what's wrong? Abby find out who my mystery caller is?" Tony's eyes went wide when Gibbs slowly turned his head and looked at him with an expression Tony had never seen before. He seemed unsure of what to say or what to do, which was completely foreign to Tony.

"Jesus Jethro, talk to me," Tony begged as he squeezed Gibbs' shoulder. Getting only a frown for a response, Tony nodded and steered him to the nearest table. "Okay, you sit and I'll make a fresh super-duper strong pot of coffee for you." Gibbs nodded then took a seat as instructed and dropped his head into his hands.

When the carafe was full, Tony filled two cups and sat one in front of Gibbs before taking the seat across from him while holding the other. "You're scaring the shit out of me, Jethro. Please-tell me what the hell is going on," Tony demanded as he searched for a clue or some kind of sign in Gibbs' eyes.

Gibbs blinked a couple of times, took a drink of his steaming coffee, cleared his throat, and said as calmly as he could, "Tony, I think Stan might be involved in the disappearance of a Petty Officer in San Diego four months ago. The phone number Abby found matches the missing Petty Officer's cell."

Under normal circumstances Tony's utterly flabbergasted expression and stammering would have been comical. "What? San Diego? Jethro, what do mean he's involved," Tony asked incredulously while he tried to process what he had just heard.

Tony grew increasingly anxious as Gibbs explained what Abby had told him about the now cold case. "You add it all up and it's too much to be a coincidence."

Noticing that Gibbs hesitated to say more, Tony cocked his head and questioned softly, "There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

Gibbs nodded slowly then watched as the color drained from Tony's face when he mentioned how much Randy Mitchell looked like a twenty-something version of him. "Abby thought so, too. Look, I didn't tell her about the other calls or any of this other shit going on with Stan." Tony just sat and shook his head as bit by bit it all started to sink in.

"I need to go up to MTAC. I'm gonna talk to Matt Williamson in San Diego and get a copy of their case file. Tony, we may need to have Abby pull your phone records and see if any of the other calls came from Mitchell's phone."

"No, we won't," Tony replied with a sigh. "I hacked into my phone records this morning. All of the hang-ups and calls the last few days are from the same San Diego phone number," Tony stated nervously as he ran a now shaky hand through his hair. "Fuck! Gibbs, this is crazy!"

Gibbs reached across the table and grabbed Tony's hand. "Hey, we will get to the bottom of this, Tony. You have my word."

"I know, but if you _really_ think that Stan is somehow involved we have to go tell Vance, like now! We'll have to tell him about us, and I guess about me and Stan, too, but whatever. We don't have a choice." Neither of them wanted to tell Vance about them this soon into their relationship, but they both knew it was inevitable that he would find out one way or another.

Gibbs finished off the last of his coffee and squeezed Tony's hand. "I can handle Vance, remember? I need you to take lead on this FBI case while I deal with San Diego. Tony, let's keep this between us for now, okay? I just want to make sure my gut is right about Stan's involvement first. Right now, I don't know what the hell to think, and I don't want to tell Vance about it or drag the others in until we absolutely have to."

Tony snorted and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, especially Abby! She thinks Stan hung the damn moon. She'll never believe that Mr. Perfect could do any wrong."

Armed with fresh cups of coffee, Gibbs and Tony shared a brief kiss before heading out; Gibbs to MTAC and Tony to the bullpen to try and concentrate on the cold case.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Once again, a huge thank you for all the reviews, alerts, and PMs. Things are about to start happening, so I hope you will stay tuned!

Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters or places. I am making not money from this and no copyright infringement is intended.

Warning: Still no beta, so please excuse any stupid mistakes!

* * *

Ch 12

Gibbs marched into MTAC relieved to find only veteran tech, Brett Martin, present at the control console. "Get me Williamson in San Diego," Gibbs barked as he stood in front of the large screen while Brett placed the call.

"Coming online, sir," Brett replied a few moments later.

"Gibbs, what can I do you for," Matt Williamson, the leader of the San Diego MCRT asked, sounding out of breath. "Not used to be summoned by you."

"I need your case file on missing Petty Officer Randy Mitchell. I think it may be connected to an open case here." That was a complete lie, but Gibbs knew it would be effective.

"Sure Gibbs, no problem, but I have to wonder why you didn't just call. Hardly worth burning satellite time to get a file," Matt queried. "Something going on I should know about?"

Gibbs held up a finger then turned to address Brett. "Hey Brett, I need ten minutes."

Brett rolled his chair back from the console and nodded before quickly leaving the room.

"Matt, tell me about Agent Stan Burley's involvement with the case."

By the time Brett returned fifteen minutes later Gibbs' gut was in knots. Stan had been tasked with interviewing Mitchell's friends, who had been at the club with him the night he disappeared, but his notes were full of holes. Key questions were not asked or the answers were ambiguous at best, and each potential lead was an apparent dead end. The only thing clearly reported was that Mitchell had left his friends to use the head and never returned.

"It doesn't add up, Gibbs. I talked to Mitchell's CO. He said the kid was excited about being assigned to the carrier and couldn't wait to deploy. He couldn't think of a single reason why he wouldn't report for duty. I just emailed our file to you. Not much in there I'm afraid. No forensics or any real physical evidence. We did a thorough search of the club and the kid's apartment and got nothing. Pretty much just have Burley's reports and notes. Hope this helps with your case and maybe you'll get lucky and solve this one too," Matt said with a shrug.

"Thanks Matt. I'll be in touch," Gibbs said as he motioned for Brett to cut the MTAC feed. He stood and stared at the blank screen for a moment before turning to leave, nodding at Brett on his way out.

Gibbs arrived in the bullpen to find Tony deep in thought, sitting at his desk absently tapping a pencil on top of a stack of files. "Oh, hey Boss," Tony said when he finally looked up and noticed Gibbs sitting at his desk pounding the keys on his keyboard. "How'd it go with Williamson?"

"Tony, you were right. We need to go see Vance. Williamson sent me their case file. Says it doesn't add up," Gibbs replied as he launched his email and opened the file. There weren't very many pages so it only took a couple of minutes to print the entire file. While he waited Gibbs phoned Vance's secretary. The Director was out presumably at a meeting with the Sec Nav, which he knew meant they were playing golf. He set up an appointment with Cynthia for 2:00 that afternoon.

"Where are Ziva and McGee," Gibbs asked when he hung up as if it just occurred to him that the rest of his team was missing.

Tony hit a few keys on his computer to display records on the plasma. He picked up the clicker and met Gibbs in front of the screen. "I sent them out to follow up on a lead. Hey, you better call Fornell before McGeek solves this case all by himself. He found a link between the guy the FBI is watching and the bank records of our missing Pentagon intel analyst, guy named Seth Parker. I've been going back through the file. He disappeared two years ago but there have been several recent large deposits into his personal checking account and a couple of even larger withdrawals," Tony reported proudly as he clicked through the documents.

Gibbs favored Tony with a crooked half smile, "That's good work, DiNozzo." He patted Tony on the shoulder then went back to his desk. He could almost feel a headache building as he called Fornell's direct line. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he waited for Fornell to answer knowing he was about to catch hell. It was becoming apparent that their cold case was turning at least warm, and looked like a textbook case of some low level paper pusher selling government and military secrets for money. The only reason NCIS had the case was because the missing intel officer had been attached to the Navy Department when he allegedly disappeared.

Tony sat back at his desk and carefully reviewed each transaction in the bank records. He smiled and chuckled as he listened in to Gibbs' side of the argument he was having with Fornell. Despite all signs to the contrary Tony knew they were close friends, having formed a strange bond after surviving their respective disastrous short marriages to Diane. He watched in amusement as Gibbs casually leaned back in his chair while spinning some bullshit tale about how his team had accidently stumbled across the FBI's information. When Gibbs held the receiver out, Tony knew that Fornell was calling him on his bullshit and reading him the riot act. Gibbs rolled his eyes for effect and Tony laughed. He was about to make his way over to Gibbs' desk to hopefully listen in when his desk phone rang.

Still chuckling Tony answered cheerfully, "Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."

Gibbs noticed the smile instantly fall from Tony's face and looked at him quizzically. When Tony nodded, Gibbs cut Fornell off with, "I have to call you back." He slammed the receiver down mid-rant and was immediately at Tony's side.

"Yeah Stan, I'm here. What do you want? Lunch? Can't today, busy. Yeah, I know. Oh yeah, we _definitely_ need to talk. Okay, tomorrow then. Where? D'Angelo's at noon. I'll have to clear it with Gibbs. Yes, just me. Hey, give me your number. What do mean why? Uh, in case we get called out and I can't make it, why else? Okay, whatever. Well then if I don't show it means we got called out."

Tony visibly shuddered as he hung up and met Gibbs' concerned eyes. With resignation in his own, Tony stated, "He, uh, wouldn't give me a number. I have to meet him alone. D'Angelo's will be busy but the place is too small. He'd see you for sure." Seeing Gibbs clench his jaw, Tony stated softly but emphatically, "I can handle it, Jethro. He's not going to try anything in a crowded restaurant. He just wants to talk. If you want me to I'll wear a wire, though I don't think you want to hear anything he has to say."

Gibbs knew Tony was right. He was great at undercover work and could handle any situation that came up, but that didn't mean Gibbs had to like it. "Just promise me you'll be careful?"

"Always," Tony replied softly adding a wink.

Ziva and McGee returned a short while later. McGee went straight to Gibbs' desk to report in on their conversation with the bank manager only to have Gibbs hold up a hand and point across the bullpen, never once looking up from the file he had his nose buried in. "DiNozzo is running lead on this so you report to him."

"Uh, sure thing, Boss," McGee said before trading a concerned and confused look with Ziva. "Uh Boss, where is Tony?"

Gibbs finally looked up at McGee and in frustration barked, "He's in the head, McGee." Catching Ziva's movements out of the corner of his eye he said slowly and menacingly, "Ziver, sit." He fixed a warning glare on her and proclaimed, "From now on, the men's room is off limits to you."

Tony came back and noticed his probies eyeing him curiously then shot a questioning look at Gibbs and tapped on his watch. When Gibbs smirked and nodded in the direction of the elevator Tony said, "Come on you two. Let me buy you lunch and you can fill me in on what you found out. Is Subway okay with everyone? Gibbs, you want me to bring you back anything?"

"Nah, but thanks. You three, back in one hour," he demanded as he closed the file then stood and headed for the back elevator. Gibbs may not have wanted to involve the team just yet, but he suddenly needed to talk to Ducky, the one person aside from Tony he could truly confide in.

* * *

"Jethro, my good fellow," Ducky greeted as Gibbs breezed into Autopsy. "What brings you by this afternoon? I don't believe I have anything for you."

Gibbs jumped up to sit on one of the cold metal tables and sighed. "Not here about a case. I need your advice, Duck. It's about DiNozzo."

"I see, and how are things progressing with you and Anthony? Jethro my dear friend, I am absolutely thrilled that the two of you have finally found your way to one another. Abigail and I have both been praying for the two of you to come to your senses," Ducky exclaimed as he walked over to Gibbs. "Now, for what do you require my advice? I assure you, anything you say will be held in the strictest of confidence."

Gibbs looked at his old friend and sighed, "Yeah Duck, I know. It's a long story, but in a nutshell Tony was involved with some guy back when he was in college. Ran into him a few years ago, and now this guy shows up again and wants him back. Says he'll do whatever it takes."

"Oh my! What pray tell does Anthony have to say?"

Gibbs snorted. "Doesn't want anything to do with him, but this guy won't take no for an answer. He even threatened me."

Ducky knew Gibbs was hiding a key piece of information and narrowed his eyes. Looking sternly at Gibbs, he demanded, "What aren't you telling me, Jethro? Who is this other man interested in Tony?"

"Stan Burley, and before you say _anything_ Duck, he went by a different name back when Tony first met him. Tony didn't know who he really was until we worked that case with him on the carrier a few years ago. Burley tried to talk to him on the ship. Now he's on temporary leave and Tony saw him Saturday morning when he was running. Stan asked him out, but Tony said no. Not knowing about Tony and me, Stan came over to my house asking for my advice on rekindling an old flame. Tony showed up while he was there and told me about their relationship after Stan left," Gibbs stopped and took a deep breath. He could see that Ducky was intrigued so he continued filling him in.

"Burley paid me another visit Sunday night making veiled threats. I think he saw Tony and me out together Saturday night. Now, Tony is getting a bunch of calls to his unlisted home number from a cell phone belonging to a missing Petty Officer in San Diego. The guy was supposed to report for duty on Stan's ship four months ago. Stan helped with the investigation, which turned up nothing. Duck, I think he was involved with this kid's disappearance, and now Tony has agreed to meet him tomorrow to talk. He's going to tell him about us, and I don't know how Stan is going to react."

Ducky was shocked to the core by the story he was told but tried not to let it show. "Jethro, are you sure? I can't imagine Agent Burley, who I've only known to be an affable young man, being involved with anything so sinister."

Gibbs looked at Ducky with sadness in his eyes. "Duck, the missing Petty Officer looks a hell of a lot like a twenty-something version of Tony. Abby noticed it too, but I didn't tell her any of this. I don't know what to think. I've known Stan for years, or at least I thought I did."

"Why Jethro, have you talked this over with our esteemed Director? If you honestly believe that Agent Burley is somehow involved in the Petty Officer's disappearance, or that Anthony could be in danger, you must tell him at once."

"Yeah, DiNozzo and I are meeting with Vance this afternoon. I don't know which I'm more worried about though; Burley's possible involvement in the San Diego case or telling him about me and Tony." Gibbs ran a hand down his face then jumped down from the table and began pacing nervously.

Ducky flashed Gibbs a devilish smirk. "Oh my dear Jethro! I do not believe the Director will be nearly as shocked about you and Tony as you might think. Whispers about the two of you have circulated through the halls of this building for years. I do not think you need to worry yourself about telling Leon Vance."

Gibbs gaped at Ducky, who now had a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "But I, I mean, uh, we never ..."

"Oh come now, Jethro!" Ducky exclaimed with a chuckle, "Everyone knows that you and Tony have always had an especially close relationship. The two of you say more to each other with a single look than most people do with words! To what degree others have made assumptions I cannot say, but those of us who know you best have known for years."

Gibbs rolled his eyes then asked plainly, "Bottom line here Duck: Do you think I need to worry about Stan doing something desperate? I know Tony can take care of himself, but dammit, I ..."

Ducky nodded at Gibbs in understanding. "Jethro, if Tony is not able to convince Stan that the two of you are in a loving committed relationship, then I would say yes. From the concerns you have just shared with me I think he may be capable of almost anything. But I must warn you Jethro, do not antagonize him yourself. Let Tony talk with him and then you must wait to see how Stan reacts. He will, and probably does, see you now not as a friend and colleague but as a romantic rival. If his feelings for Tony are as you say, and he is not willing to let go, anything _you_ say or do could make matters much worse. Trust in Tony to do what he can to fight for you, and for this new wonderful relationship."

At that moment, Palmer breezed into the room and stopped suddenly knowing instantly that he was intruding on a very important conversation. "I'm sorry Agent Gibbs, Dr. Mallard. Um, uh, I can come back later, if ..."

"Nonsense, Mister Palmer! I do believe Agent Gibbs and I have finished our conversation. Jethro, mark my words. Proceed with extreme caution, but trust your gut. It has served you well in the past, but do not forget to have faith in Tony as well."

"Thanks, Duck," Gibbs responded with a genuine smile and friendly pat on the back. Ducky always knew what to say and, more importantly, how to say it.

* * *

Tony, Ziva and McGee returned to the office just shy of one hour later to find Fornell verbally sparring with Gibbs, who was leaning back in this chair with his hands behind his head. Gibbs grinned at Fornell then tossed a carefree wave at his team for no other reason than to further rile up his friend.

"Tobias, relax. Come on, let's take this into the conference room. McGee, gather up all that stuff you dug up so we can turn this latest screw up back over to the Feebs."

Tony and Ziva smiled behind their hands and watched as McGee scurried around grabbing files while Fornell, hands firmly planted on his hips, glared at Gibbs, who just kept grinning back at him.

Gibbs made the walk down the hall like he was on a leisurely stroll while Fornell stomped in lock step next to him. McGee followed with his arms full of files that were threatening to spill their contents all over the hallway floor. Tony and Ziva quietly whispered jokes back and forth as they lagged behind and enjoyed the show.

An hour later all five of them emerged from the conference room no worse for wear. Fornell had read them in on the FBI's investigation of an alleged espionage ring, which had the effect of flushing out Seth Parker, the missing intel analyst. Other FBI agents had gotten a credible lead on Parker's whereabouts and were en route to take him into custody for questioning. The hope was that he would roll over on some of the bigger players involved so Gibbs was more than happy to turn over what they found and let the FBI take over the investigation. Unfortunately, it meant that once again the FBI would get to take all of the credit and make the headlines.

After getting his kicks at McGee's expense by reminding him that hacking into the FBI was a serious federal offense, Fornell slapped a relieved McGee on the back and thanked him for the information. When they reached the bullpen, Fornell directed a sly smirk at Gibbs then offered, "Agent McGee, if you ever get tired of working for this heartless bastard give me a call."

Unfazed by Fornell's attempt to provoke him Gibbs played it cool. His understated response was a shrug as he countered with, "Or you could just find your own McGee so you wouldn't need to keep borrowing mine to solve your cases for you."

Tony looked up and noticed Vance standing at the railing up on the mezzanine outside of MTAC looking down on the bullpen. Tony cleared his throat then stepped over to Gibbs and whispered, "Uh, Gibbs, I think the Director is ready to see us now."

Gibbs looked up and shot a curt nod at Vance, who nodded back before turning back toward his office. He grabbed his San Diego file and barked out orders as he headed for the stairs. "McGee, Ziva, get Agent Fornell everything we have then keep reviewing those cold cases. DiNozzo and I have to meet with Vance. Later Tobias," Gibbs said, effectively dismissing the FBI agent.

Vance was just finishing up a phone call when Tony and Gibbs appeared in front of his desk unannounced. "Too much trouble to knock, Agent Gibbs?" Vance scowled getting a tiny satisfied grin from Gibbs then motioned for the two agents to take a seat. Tony dropped into one of the arm chairs, but Gibbs remained standing tall and proud behind him. "Okay, spill. What did you need to see me about?"

Gibbs placed a firm hand on Tony's shoulder and stated matter-of-factly, "Stan Burley."

Vance narrowed his eyes then raised an eyebrow curiously at Gibbs' subtle display. "You don't say. I just got off the phone with him. Called about a position here then tendered his resignation when I informed him I didn't have a place for him in D.C. Sorry Gibbs, but..."

Gibbs squeezed Tony shoulder when he heard a barely audible "Oh shit" come from his mouth. "That's not why we're here Leon." Knowing they were in for a long talk, Gibbs came around and got comfortable in the chair next to Tony. He took a deep breath and announced, "We think he may be involved in the disappearance of a Petty Officer in San Diego." Gibbs tossed the file on Vance's desk then looked at Tony, who gave him a slight smile and an affirmative nod. "It's all in there, but there is more you need to know."

By the time Tony and Gibbs finished telling him the whole story - their new found relationship, Tony's past with Stan/Steve, the repeated phone calls, Stan's not so subtle threat, and Gibbs' conversation with Matt Williamson - Vance's mind was reeling. He need a moment to absorb the information, so he stood and headed for the bar across the room and returned to his desk with a crystal decanter of single-malt scotch and three crystal tumblers. Tony and Gibbs sat silently trading nervous looks, knowing Vance's reaction to their revelations could go either way.

Vance poured a generous amount of the amber liquid in each glass and sat one in front of each of his agents. He took a long drink from his glass then sagged back in his chair and ran a hand down his face. Tony and Gibbs were equally stunned when the first words out of Vance's mouth were, "Okay then. So what's your plan for bringing him down?"

Tony blinked several times and after two failed attempts at speaking finally stammered, "That, that's, that's it? You don't have anything to say about, you know, us," he asked incredulously as he absently waved a hand between himself and Gibbs. "This, this, doesn't bother you?"

Vance sighed and shook his head ruefully. "Agent DiNozzo, what you two do off the clock is none of my business. As long as it doesn't affect what you do _on _the clock and McGee and David don't have any problems, it doesn't bother me. I've heard the rumors about the two of you. Cynthia knows everything that goes on around here and she's more than happy to share it with me whether I want to hear it or not. Just do me a favor and keep your personal issues at home. Now, I'll ask again. What's your next move?"

Gibbs visibly relaxed, failing as miserably as Tony was to keep a smile off of his face. He chuckled and said, "Well, Tony is meeting with Stan tomorrow for lunch, to talk and tell him about us. I don't like it, but maybe he can also get some useful information. Tony is great at undercover work Leon, and if he plays this right he just might get Stan to say something we can use." Gibbs shrugged and glanced at Tony, who was now beaming back at him.

"Okay, that's a start. Best to not let Burley know you're on to him though. If he is involved in this San Diego case, there no way in hell I want him getting away. Gibbs, if you're worried about DiNozzo going alone, you might want to take someone with you to observe."

After a few minutes of discussion, it was decided that Gibbs would observe from the street. Since Ziva was the only team member who had never met Stan, she would go with him to take pictures while Gibbs listened in on the conversation. At Tony's concerned look, Gibbs said, "Tony. Better me hearing what he has to say than Ziva."

The ninety-minute meeting ended with Vance's assurance that he would keep quiet about Burley for now. Gibbs in turn promised to keep him in the loop each step of the way. Vance came around his desk as Tony and Gibbs rose to leave. He extended his hand first to Gibbs then to Tony. "I may not understand it, and I hope you two know what you're getting yourselves into, but congratulations gentlemen. I hope this works out, for both of you. But like I said, keep it out of the office."

"Thanks Director," Tony and Gibbs replied in unison.

Tony practically skipped down the stairs with Gibbs following at a more sedate pace shaking his head and smirking at Tony's joyful antics. Happy, playful Tony was a joy to behold and Gibbs wanted to see more of it.

With no active case Gibbs sent the team home, including Tony. As much as he hated it, he knew they both needed to come up for air. The last four days has been a whirlwind and things were moving almost too fast. He walked Tony to his car and made him promise to lock his door when he got home. Tony rolled his eyes then made Gibbs promise to do the same.

"Don't worry, Jethro," Tony said reassuringly when they reached his car, "I'm just gonna heat up some leftovers and watch a movie. I'm thinking Bogart, you know, "The Maltese Falcon"? Greatest movie ever!"

Gibbs snorted at Tony's almost childlike excitement when it came to movies. Checking to make sure they were alone, Gibbs pulled Tony in for a lingering but tender kiss. "Just watch your six, okay? Enjoy your movie, and I'll see you in the morning. Love you," Gibbs purred in his ear.

Tony pulled back and smiled at Gibbs. "I love you, too. Good night."

Before shutting the car door, Gibbs exclaimed, "Hey, you call me if ..."

"I will. I promise," Tony interrupted, not wanting to think about getting home to find a bunch of phone messages on his machine.

* * *

Ziva arrived home to find Scott casually leaning against his car. Dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a light blue button down shirt under a brown suede leather jacket, he smiled when he saw her car approaching. She pulled into her assigned space next to where he had parked and gathered her purse and backpack from the passenger seat before climbing out. She smiled at Scott as she walked around the front of her car to meet him. "Hello Scott. You are early. I was not expecting you for another hour."

Scott smiled before leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Couldn't wait to see you, I guess. Here, let me take that," he said, relieving Ziva of her backpack before following her into her apartment building.

They worked together in Ziva's small kitchen on a homemade stir fry. It was quick and easy and would allow for more time to talk. Something about Scott seemed different tonight. He was more relaxed than he was on their two prior meetings, but there was something off about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on. After dinner they retired to the living room with a bottle of wine and got comfortably situated on the couch.

Ziva nearly had to resort to her best interrogation tactics to get Scott to open up and talk about himself. It became abundantly clear from the start that she was getting a carefully redacted version of his life. He was guarded almost to the point of paranoid, which made Ziva increasingly uncomfortable. He sidestepped many of her questions and tried more than once to turn the tables on her. She had witnessed this dynamic many times before, but that was typically when interrogating especially clever suspects.

Ziva found it disconcerting that Scott was more interested in hearing about her co-workers than he was about her. Specifically, he seemed almost fixated on hearing more about Gibbs and Tony, who she had briefly mentioned at the bar Saturday night. She had been careful not to use names, but confessed to Scott that she was upset about finding out that her boss and a very close co-worker had just become romantically involved.

She had several missed calls on her cell phone from Abby, who apologized profusely for their fight and insisted on coming over to talk things out. A ten-mile run late Saturday morning followed by a strenuous workout at the gym had helped take her mind off of things for a while, but Ziva did not want to spend the evening sitting at home knowing that Abby would show up uninvited at some point. The anonymity she enjoyed at the small neighborhood pub offered her a chance to sit and think through things without interruption.

She felt betrayed at being left in the dark about something as monumental as the man she had fallen for being secretly in love with someone else, which led to her and Abby getting into their rather heated argument. She was hurt and emotionally raw, but she also regretted many of the things she had said about Tony. Deep down the fact that Tony and Gibbs were both men did not bother her. It was the fact that she had lost Tony, probably forever, that caused her the most pain.

Shortly before 10:00, Ziva decided to call it a night. Claiming she had to get up early, she took the now empty wine bottle and glasses into the kitchen. Scott had the good grace to take the hint like a gentleman and shrugged into his jacket. She tentatively accepted Scott's invitation for dinner and a movie Friday night then showed him to the door and received a chaste good-night kiss. As she lay in her bed a short time later, Ziva found that she had even more questions about Scott. His behaviour around her was definitely odd. He kept moving away from her when she tried to sit closer to him and he never made any attempt to seduce her. There was no flirting or teasing, no looks or touches, and no indication from Scott whatsoever that he was in any way sexually attracted to her.

* * *

Across town Gibbs was once again telling his and Tony's story, this time to Fornell over Chinese food at a place near Fornell's house. Having Vance on board in dealing with the whole Stan situation was a relief, but he wanted to get the thoughts of someone more on the outside looking in. Ducky's earlier admonishment about letting Tony handle Stan had left Gibbs feeling out of his element. He had taken up the mantle as everyone's protector over the years, a responsibility he took very seriously, and it was not something he could relinquish easily.

Gibbs and Fornell both enjoyed trading barbs and sparring with each other when their paths crossed because of work, but when it came to personal matters they were close confidants. Gibbs knew that Fornell would deal him straight and not ply him with a bunch of bullshit, and once again he did not disappoint.

"Jethro, I've personally witnessed DiNozzo getting out of worse situations than this," Fornell declared before stuffing a bunch of noodles in his mouth. After chewing and swallowing he said, "Remember that guy he kicked the shit out of while still tied to a fucking chair? He will be fine. DiNozzo's been around the block enough times, he knows what he's doing."

Gibbs stabbed at a piece of chicken with his chopsticks before dropping them on his plate. "I know that Tobias, but this is different. This is personal. In less than a week I find out that my, hell I'm not sure what to call him, was involved with Stan, a supposed friend and former partner, who it now turns out may have killed some kid, who I might add looks like Tony did twenty years ago!" Gibbs was nearly shouting by the end and had garnered the attention of the few patrons in the restaurant.

Fornell grabbed Gibbs arm from across the table and growled, "Jesus, calm down! You are letting your emotions call the shots when DiNozzo needs you to be the hard-assed boss he's always relied on to back him up. You won't be any good to him if you can't keep your shit together and be objective." When Gibbs tried to protest, Fornell held up a hand. "Listen to me. I get it. You're in love with Tony as much as he is with you. That's great, but there's no way in hell it's gonna work if you don't let him handle this. He is willing to risk everything for you, so for fuck's sake let him!"

By the time their finished their meal, Gibbs was more confident that Tony could and would handle Stan just fine on his own. Fornell agreed that taking Ziva with him as a backup was a good plan and offered his assistance if it was needed.

Gibbs collapsed into his bed shortly after arriving home. There would be no bourbon or working on the boat this tonight. After quickly showering and brushing his teeth he laid in bed thinking about Tony, and how finally being with him after so many wasted years felt so right. He was about to switch off the bed-side lamp when his phone rang. He smiled when "DiNozzo" appeared on the screen when he flipped it open. "Hey, I'm glad you called. I miss you."

Tony was also lying in his bed and thinking about Gibbs. He had been relieved when he got home to find that the only call left on his answering machine was from Senior announcing that he would be in town in two weeks and wanted to get together for dinner. Their father/son relationship was still a bit rocky most of the time, but they were both making an effort to reach out.

"Hey yourself, and by the way I miss being there," Tony chirped. "So, how was your chat with Fornell?"

"How the hell did you know about that?"

"Jethro, every time you say you have something to take care of, it usually means you're off to talk to Fornell about something. Did it help," Tony asked.

Gibbs sighed heavily. "Yeah, actually it did. He basically told me to get my head out of my ass and let you deal with Stan. What's so damn funny," he demanded a moment later when he heard Tony laughing.

"Nothing really. Just that I might end up liking him some day, that is if he and Slacks stop trying to convict me of murder," Tony chuckled. "Wanted to let you know that the only call on my machine when I got home was from my dad. Nothing from Stan. Thought you'd sleep better if you knew," he said around a yawn.

"Thanks, Tony," Gibbs said softly. "Get some sleep. We got a big day tomorrow. Love you."

"G'night. Love you too," Tony replied before smacking a few kisses through the phone.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Okay, Tony and Stan meet. I'm not thrilled with their conversation (again, dialogue is _not_ my strong suit), but trust me that it sets up what will happen in later chapters.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and review this story. Each comment/critique is greatly and humbly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters or places. I am making no money from this work of fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Ch 13

McGee was the last to arrive at the office Wednesday morning and immediately wondered if he had stepped off of the elevator straight into the "Twilight Zone". It was quiet, too quiet by bullpen standards. The normal Tony and Ziva banter and squabbling has been replaced with the din of common everyday office noises and background chatter. He muttered a quiet "good morning" to no one in particular as he walked over to his desk. While his computer powered up McGee covertly observered his teammates. Gibbs was his usual stoic self, but McGee sensed a low level of anger bubbling beneath the surface. Ziva looked tired and distracted as she sat at her desk and stared blankly at her monitor. Her hands hovered over the keyboard, but she wasn't typing. What concerned McGee the most, however, was how Tony looked like he was about to jump out of his skin. Every time a phone rang somewhere in the squad room Tony would flinch. McGee was about to speak up and break the unusual silence when Gibbs' phone rang. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tony jump in his chair then look at Gibbs with pleading eyes.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

Tony, McGee and Ziva waited for the order to 'grab your gear' but it never came. When he saw his team preparing to spring into action, Gibbs held up a hand and shook his head. After a few moments he hung up the phone and announced, "Director wants us out at the gun range this morning to test some new weapons. McGee, Ziver, head on over. We'll meet you there in a few minutes."

McGee and Ziva quickly holstered their Sigs, shouldered their backpacks and left. When they were safely out of earshot Gibbs stepped over to Tony. "Vance told dispatch to give Balboa's team first call outs. He wants this meeting with Stan to take place today. He wants you to try and trip him up about San Diego if you can. Tony, are you sure you want to do this alone?"

Tony slowly shook his head and snorted, "No, but I don't have much choice. He insisted on meeting me alone. Guess he doesn't want _you _there as he tries to woo me." Tony visibly shuddered at the thought then said, "You still planning on taking Ziva with you?"

"Yeah," Gibbs sighed. "Tony, we're gonna have to brief the team. If anything goes wrong today, Tim and Ziva are gonna need to know who we're dealing with."

Tony ran a hand through his hair and nodded. "I know, and they need to know all of it. The phone calls and the threat, which means they find out about me and Stan. I hate it, but if Stan thinks we're onto him God only knows what he'll do. If he had the balls to threaten _you_, everyone else I care about could be in danger-because of me."

Gibbs wanted nothing more than to hug Tony right there in the middle of the bullpen, but instead jerked his head in the direction of the elevator. Tony's face slowly split into a grin as he holstered his Sig and followed Gibbs. As soon as the doors closed and the elevator began to descend, Gibbs hit the stop switch and gently pushed backTony against the wall.

A few passion filled minutes were all they had and Gibbs was determined to make the most of them. He may not be a man of many words but his lips spoke volumes. The want, the need, the trust, the fear, and the love all came through as Gibbs ravaged Tony's mouth. Two sets of hands roamed as shirts were pulled from waistbands and soft moans filled the air at the skin to skin contact. Tony surrendered to the delicious assault knowing that Gibbs needed to feel a sense of control, not that he would have resisted anyway.

When they finally broke apart, a bit disheveled and completely breathless, Gibbs felt grounded and focused, Tony cherished and confident. Hearing muffled voices complaining about the elevator being stuck - again - they quickly pulled themselves together, tucking their shirts back in and getting their ragged breathing under control. Tony finger combed his hair back into place then flipped the switch to start the elevator back on its journey. Try as he might he simply could not keep the goofy grin off of his face, and by the time the doors opened both Tony and Gibbs were on the verge of the giggles. The half dozen or so people who had been waiting for the elevator said nothing as the grinning pair of agents stepped off. Gibbs' death glare when he noticed them staring took care of that. Tony laughed at their collective deer-in-the-headlights expressions earning a firm smack to the back of his head.

* * *

If Tony was nervous he didn't let it show on the gun range a short while later. Gibbs watched with pride as Tony outscored both Ziva and McGee by a wide margin, showing remarkable proficiency with each new weapon he tested. Not surprisingly Gibbs still bested them all, but Tony was well on his way to becoming classified as an expert marksman in his own right. He had always been a good shot, which was one of the reasons why Gibbs wanted Tony on his six when the team wondered into hostile situations. A well-aimed bullet from Tony's Sig had saved each member of the team on more than one occasion.

Ziva and McGee both expected Tony to make a big scene and crow about his superior scores, but he stayed quiet and focused on the task at hand. They cleaned all the weapons they had tested and jotted down their individual assessments on each model for Gibbs to review and pass on to Vance.

Unsettled by the radical change in Tony's behavior and demeanor all morning, Ziva finally spoke up. "Gibbs, Tony, there is something wrong, yes?"

Tony sighed wearily then gave a slight nod to Gibbs, who turned to face his team. "Not sure yet, Ziver. Can't get into the details right now, but I need you to back me up this afternoon. Tony is having lunch with a possible suspect in a San Diego cold case. McGee, I'm gonna need you to wire Tony, but no earwig. Ziva, I need you to go with me and take photos. We'll be observing from the street."

"Sure thing Boss, but why haven't we heard about this case until now," McGee asked as he waved a hand between himself and Ziva.

Tony chimed in trying not to give anything away. "It's a long story Probie, but let's just say it's not an official case yet. Vance knows and we're keeping it was on the down low. McGee, the suspect is Stan Burley."

McGee's eyes went impossibly wide. "_Agent_ Burley? Boss, um, Tony, isn't he the guy we …."

"Yeah, McGee, but he's no longer an NCIS agent. Vance told us he resigned yesterday. He knows about Tony's meeting and the reasons for it. But like I said, we don't have time to explain everything right now." Gibbs paused before getting another affirmative nod from Tony. "Shit. Okay, can the two of you be at my house tonight around 8:00? We'll fill you in on the details then. Right now we need to get back and get Tony wired. The meeting is in less than an hour."

McGee had a hundred questions in his mind, but he could tell that Tony was in no mood to answer them. Normally Tony would be as bouncy as a puppy, unable to stand still and rambling on a mile a minute at the mere mention of an undercover op or stakeout, but this time something was different. Satisfied that Tony's wire was concealed and the equipment was functioning properly, McGee shot Tony a worried look.

"Just spit it out, McGee," Tony demanded with a heavy sigh.

McGee took a moment to gather his thoughts before stating, "There's more to this than just a case, I can tell. Something tells me it's personal, but you obviously don't want to talk about it. I get it Tony, but I'm here if you change your mind. Whatever is going on, I've got your six."

Tony snorted and flashed a hint of a smile at his friend. "I know, McGee, and thanks. You'll find out everything later at Gibbs' house. A lot is gonna depend what Stan has to say today but you're right, there is more to it. There's _a lot_ more."

* * *

Tony removed his sunglasses as he stepped inside the dim interior of D'Angelo's. He was ten minutes early so he carefully scanned the small crowded restaurant. Not seeing any sign of Stan inside he slipped his shades back on and stepped back outside to wait for him. It was fifteen minutes later when Stan appeared at his side. Tony had been so lost in thought trying to figure out what he wanted and needed to say that he jumped when Stan tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey T. Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. Thanks for showing up. I wasn't sure you would," Stan said affectionately while favoring Tony with a brilliant smile.

"Hey," Tony croaked out nervously, his throat suddenly dry. "Told you I'd be here if we didn't have a case, but I don't have much time."

Stan ran his hand up and down Tony's arm. "Okay, let's get a table then." Tony nodded and fought of flinching when Stan directed him back inside with a firm hand on his lower back.

* * *

Tony couldn't have been more relieved when the hostess seated them at one of the small outdoor bistro tables. The way the tables were spaced they could talk privately without resorting to whispering. It also meant that Gibbs had a clear view of them from his location up the street. Tony began to relax and smiled pleasantly at the beautiful young waitress who appeared a few minutes later to take their orders. Stan was obviously displeased at not getting a table inside if his barked order was any indication.

McGee had insisted on tagging along, so instead of the sedan the team was observing from a nondescript black surveillance van. They had a clear view of Tony and Stan from where they were parked less than a block away. Satisfied with their location Gibbs decided to fill Ziva and McGee in on his suspicions about Stan's involvement in the Mitchell case. When the audio equipment was set up and calibrated to the correct frequency, McGee went to put on a headset only to have Gibbs snatch it from his hand.

"No one is listening in but me. McGee, make sure it's recording then mute it," Gibbs ordered. McGee and Ziva both responded by cocking their heads and staring questioningly at Gibbs . "I need you two to trust me on this. Stan requested this meeting with Tony for reasons we will explain later." Gibbs put on his headset and turned away from the younger agents.

Ziva rolled her eyes in frustration before checking over the camera to make sure it had fresh batteries. She took up a position at a side window and had just gotten the long lens focused and started snapping pictures when a tall blonde man approached Tony. She could not see his face, but something about him seemed familiar. Tony had been casually leaning back against the building and flinched when the man touched him. Thinking she had lost her chance to get Stan's picture, Ziva cursed in Hebrew when the two men went inside the restaurant. A few minutes later she let out a sigh of relief when Tony came back out and took a seat at a corner table facing away from her. When the other man sat across from Tony and removed his sunglasses, Ziva gasped audibly and nearly dropped the camera.

"GIBBS," she called out. Gibbs removed his headset and turned around to face her. "That man, the one you call Stan, I know him but that is _not_ his name."

"McGee, confirm," Gibbs shouted.

McGee came over and grabbed the camera from Ziva and took up her former position and began snapping pictures. "Yep, it's Stan Burley, Boss," McGee announced confidently as he got a clear view through the long telephoto lens.

"Keep shooting McGee. Ziver, come with me," Gibbs barked as he took Ziva's hand and led her to the back of the van. "_How_ do you know him?"

Zive looked at Gibbs wide-eyed and stammered, "I-I-I met him Saturday night. We have only gone on one date, but he was at my apartment for dinner just last night. Gibbs, his name is _not_ Stan Burley. It is Scott Barrows."

Gibbs snorted and shook his head in disbelief before growling, "Or Steve Barton." Gibbs quickly pulled a pair of binoculars from one of the storage compartments and trained them on Tony and Stan as the waitress returned with their orders. "Scott Barrows is an alias, Ziva. His real name is Stan Burley. He's also gone by Steve Barton. He was my SFA before Tony. He's either been Agent Afloat or assigned to assist with ops in Europe for the past several years. McGee met him a few years ago, before your time, when we helped him with a case. Keep an eye on him."

Gibbs shoved the binoculars into Ziva's hands and turned his attention back to the conversation and listened as the two former lovers chatted over BLTs. Gibbs knew it would be hard to hear but this was a conversation that was long, long overdue.

* * *

"So, what's on your mind Stan," Tony asked before popping a stray piece of bacon in his mouth. His nerves may have settled a bit but Tony was working hard to play it cool.

"I wanted to share my good news. I resigned from NCIS. No more living on a ship for me. I plan on starting over and staying here in D.C. I'm gonna use up my vacation time and look for a job and a place to live. Might give the FBI or local PD a shot," Stan replied matter-of-factly before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Yeah, Director Vance told us you quit. But why stay in D.C.? It's hotter than hell in the summer and colder than shit in the winter."

"I remember, but all of my stuff is still in storage here and I like the city. Besides, everything I want is here," Stan said softly as he made to reach for Tony's hand across the table. "You're here." If Tony had been wearing an earwig he surely would have heard Gibbs menacing growl at that comment.

Tony jerked his hand back and fixed a glare on Stan. "I already told you, I'm seeing someone. What you and I had is _over_. Hell, it's been over for a long time," Tony said with more than a bit of frustration in his voice.

Stan cocked his head and asked, "Who? Who are you seeing? Who did I lose you to?"

"Christ Stan, you didn't _lose_ me to anyone! How many times do we have to go over this? I left because you cheated on me. Even if I wasn't seeing someone I wouldn't want to get back together with you. No way in hell I could ever trust you, but since you asked I just happen to be in a _committed_ relationship - with Gibbs. We haven't been together very long but I've been in love with him for years." Tony paused just long enough to guage Stan's reaction. Seeing Stan's eyes narrow slightly and the muscles around his jaw twitch Tony continued, "And for the record, he knows _all_ about you and me. I told him _everything_. He freaked out for about a minute but he's cool. He knows you are part of my past. He's the one I love and the _only_ one I will ever want to be with. You had your chance, and _you_ threw it all away."

Stan slammed a hand down on the table with enough force to rock his beer bottle and growled, "Dammit! How many times do I have to say I'm sorry, T? I admit it, I screwed up. I made a mistake. Fucking Derek was just about sex and getting off. It didn't mean anything to me. It wasn't like making love to you. We had something special you and me, and I want that again. I can make you so happy, T! Gibbs is a bastard and sooner or later he'll leave you like he always does. Look how many times the son-of-a-bitch has been married for God's sake! T, please?"

Tony tried to calm his building anger at the unwarranted attack on Gibbs. He took a sip of his iced tea before his determined eyes met Stan's desperate ones. Seeing the hurt in Stan's eyes Tony said calmly, "I _am_ happy Stan, with Jethro. I know him better than most people, so nothing _you _say is going to change how I feel about him. I'm sorry that I left without saying good-bye, but you hurt me, really hurt me! I knew if I saw you I probably wouldn't have been able to leave. That's why I left while you were at work. You meant a lot to me back then, and I _did_ love you, but _you_ destroyed everything. I deserved better and I have that with Jethro. He loves me, he's _committed_ to me and I feel the same for him. If you ever really cared about me, you'd just let me go, find someone else and start over, and let me be happy."

Tears involuntarily welled up in Stan's eyes as the finality of Tony's words set in forcing him to look away. His voice cracked as his heart broke. He could no longer deny that he had lost his one true love forever. "I still care about you, Tony, and of course I want you to be happy. It's just that every time I see you, think about you, or even hear your name, it takes me back to the night we met and all of the wonderful nights we had together after that. I never meant to hurt you and I am truly sorry. T, I don't suppose there's any chance we can at least be friends," Stan asked with pleading eyes.

"Not if you can't accept that Jethro and I are together, now and forever. I know you and Gibbs were friends once. I also know the real reason why you left," Tony stated fiercely then shrugged. "But, who knows? Maybe someday when the weirdness wears off. But for now, please stop calling me. Give it time, and we'll see."

Stan nodded in apparent acceptance of Tony's offer and reached for his beer with a shaky hand. Tony saw an opening and took the opportunity to abruptly change the subject. "What can you tell me about Petty Officer Ryan Mitchell," Tony asked casually before taking a bite of his sandwich.

Stan had just taken a pull from his beer and nearly choked causing foam to run down his chin. "Who?"

"Petty Officer Ryan Mitchell. San Diego case. We got a report that he went missing a few days before he was to report to the Reagan a few months ago. His disappearance might be tied to a local case. Heard that you helped with the investigation. Also heard that he looks a lot like me, or, well, actually like a really young version of me," Tony stated calmly as he continued munching away on his sandwich.

It wasn't lost on Stan that he had been played and set up like some punk during an interrogation. Tamping down the anger that had replaced his sorrow, Stan leaned back casually in his and replied flatly as if he was giving a sit rep, "Not much of a case. He was at a club with some friends, went to use the head and never came back. No one saw anything. No physical evidence." Stan leaned across the table, his eyes now flashing, and wearing an evil smirk said, "Just vanished without a trace. It happens."

Stan then suddenly stood and pulled out his wallet. He tossed several bills onto the table to cover the check and a tip before leaning down to speak directly into Tony's ear. "Sometimes bad things happen to good people, T. Remember that. See you around." Tony sat stunned as Stan then walked away whistling a familiar tune – their song.

Inside the van, Gibbs' emotions were all over the place. It had been painful for him to hear Tony recount how he had once loved Stan. It hurt to hear Stan trash him while begging shamelessly for another chance with _his_ Tony. He fought back tears and swallowed past the lump that formed in his throat at Tony's sincere and unwavering declaration of love for him. He was also proud of how Tony attempted to turn the tables and catch Stan off guard when he asked about the Mitchell case. That was, however, overshadowed by a surge of fear at hearing Stan's menacing proclimation that "sometimes bad things happen to good people". The tears threatened to return when he heard Tony whisper into his mic, "God Jethro, I'm so sorry."

Gibbs was startled when McGee stood next to him and cleared his throat. He managed to blink away the moisture in his eyes before turning to see both of his agents looking at him with concern and more than a bit of confusion. Trying to hang on to his composure Gibbs cleared his throat and barked, "Let's go. We'll meet DiNozzo back at the office." Gibbs then went up front and jumped into the driver's seat. He took a deep breath before turning the key and peeling away from the curb, smoking the tires in the process.

Tony sat there for a few minutes and watched as the van tore off down the street. On the one hand he was happy, convinced that Stan had _finally_ gotten the message and would leave him alone. He hated knowing that Gibbs was listening when he admitted his past feelings for Stan, and prayed that his open and proud declaration of love lessened any hurt he may have caused. On the other hand, Tony was scared. Stan's final words kept playing over and over in his mind sending a chill down his spine causing him to shiver despite the heat. He knew he had screwed up by basically interrogating Stan about Mitchell, and now it was quite possible that he, Gibbs and everyone else he cared about was in danger because of it. "Fuck," Tony muttered under his breath as he got up and ran for the sedan parked nearby.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: This chapter may seem a bit disjointed. New questions come up after Tony's meeting with Stan and this is a look at how each member of the team reacts immediately following. Confusion, betrayal, hurt, and fear all come into play before the team meets at Gibbs' house. How will Ziva react to finding out about Tony and Stan? What will Stan do now that San Diego is no longer a secret? One thing is for certain; by the end of the day McGee will need a hug!

Disclaimer: I (still) do not own recognizable characters or places – just the plot. I am making no money from this work of fiction and no copyright infringement is intended!

* * *

CH 14:

Gibbs, his knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel, drove like a man possessed through the heavy noon-hour traffic. McGee slammed his eyes shut and held onto the "oh shit" handle for dear life to keep from being slammed against the door or worse thrown into the dash. Ziva sat between them and stared straight ahead while mumbling something in Hebrew. Gibbs had no idea what she was saying, but it was clearly evident by her tone that it wasn't anything pleasant.

Gibbs pulled the van to an abrupt stop inside the NCIS garage and threw it into park before jumping out and slamming the door. "We're cutting out of here early. You guys need to know what's going on, and I don't want to wait until later. McGee, head on up and start on your report. Ziva will be up in a minute. Half an hour, McGee," Gibbs ordered as the three agents walked toward the elevator.

"You got it, Boss," McGee said as he turned and looked into the elevator's retinal scanner. He hadn't had time to process Ziva's news that she was dating Stan so he was grateful for a few minutes alone to collect his thoughts. When the elevator arrived he slumped against the back wall, closed his eyes, and wondered how much crazier the day was going to get.

Gibbs grabbed Ziva's arm to stop her from joining McGee. When she turned to face him, Gibbs cocked his head and said quietly, "Ziver, talk to me."

She stood tall, squared her shoulders, and looked Gibbs in the eye. Seeing concern, Ziva took a deep breath and reported as if giving him a sit rep. "I met him Saturday night and he introduced himself to me as Scott Barrows. We talked over a couple of drinks. He was very interested in hearing about my work and especially my co-workers. Of course I did not tell him _where _I work or _who _I work with. I did mention that I was a little upset and confused at finding out that my boss was dating my partner, but that is all. We went out on one date and then he came to my place for dinner last night. I realized something was off, Gibbs. He would not answer _my_ questions and kept asking about you–and Tony. I do not think he was interested in _me_ at all. I do not understand what is going on, but I am sorry, Gibbs."

Gibbs threw his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Not your fault, Ziver. He's a good investigator and the son of a bitch probably knew who you were. I want you to let me know if he contacts you, got it? If he thinks we're onto him now there's no telling what he might do. I don't want to see you hurt." Ziva stepped back and gave Gibbs a curt nod before running in the direction of the stairwell, desperate for a chance to get her mixed up emotions under control. She could, and did, yell at and argue with men but it was not in her nature to cry in front of them. Just as she grabbed the door handle to make her escape she heard Gibbs call out her name. "Ziva! I'm sorry, too."

"Gibbs!" Abby exclaimed when Gibbs arrived in her lab a few minutes later. She threw her arms around him and gave him a rib-crushing hug. "It seems like I haven't seen you in days! You know how much I miss you when you don't come to see me." At that moment Gibbs was glad he had forgotten to buy her a Caf-Pow since it was pretty obvious from her current hyper state that she had already had her quota for the day.

Gibbs extracted himself when it became difficult to breathe and pulled the digital audio cassette from his blazer pocket. Abby's eyes went wide as she greedily snatched it from his hand. "Oooh! Whadya got for me Gibbs? Oh wow, sorry, that's _your_ line! I don't suppose you brought me a hot, sexy video of you and Tony doin' the nasty," she asked hopefully in a deep seductive voice, her green eyes flashing with mischief.

Gibbs cocked his head and shot her a stern look of disapproval. "_Not_ gonna happen, Abs. I need you to transcribe what's on here, but I don't want you to listen to it yet. No one else is to hear what's on this tape and I mean _no one_, understand me? Just log it in and lock it up for now, then head over to my house. There are some things you need to know before you listen to the tape. I'll clear it with Vance, so go on. See you in twenty," Gibbs declared as he quickly left the lab leaving a stunned Abby in his wake.

She stood with her hands on her hips and called out to Gibbs, who beat a hasty retreat to the elevator across from the lab door without acknowledging her. Abby had a sixth sense when it came to her NCIS family and alarms were going off. Something was wrong and she couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with the phone call Gibbs had her trace. He had reacted strangely to what she had discovered and he was being oddly cryptic now. She tapped her foot nervously before quickly powering down Major Mass Spec and her other "babies" so she could find McGee and get some answers.

"Good afternoon, Jethro! To what do I owe _this _unexpected visit," Ducky cheerfully called out as he signed off on an autopsy report and tossed it on the growing stack on his desk.

"Duck, I need you and Palmer to go to my house. Tony and I need to talk to all of you. We only want to tell this whole story once and I really need you to be there. I'm gonna let Vance know where you'll be in case dispatch needs to reach you," Gibbs said.

"Oh dear! That sounds rather ominous, Jethro. I take it Anthony's talk with Stan did not go well," Ducky asked with a look of concern on his face.

Gibbs sighed. "I don't know what the hell to think right now, Duck. I gotta go brief Vance. Just get to my house as soon as you can."

"Of course we will, Jethro. Mr. Palmer and I are nearly finished here and we shall be there directly."

* * *

McGee was working on his activity report when Ziva appeared in front of his desk standing at full parade attention. He looked up and frowned at the stony expression on her face. Her jaw was set and her dark eyes flashed with what he could only describe as anger and betrayal. Before him stood not his beautiful friend and co-worker but the cold, emotionless Mossad-trained assassin she had been when she first arrived at NCIS.

"Ziva, are you okay," McGee asked cautiously.

"No McGee, I am not. If Gibbs is right, this _Stan_ has been using me to get information about all of us. I do not know why," Ziva said in a plaintive tone.

McGee stood and slowly came around his desk. "You know what? Screw it. These damn reports can wait until tomorrow. Let's get out of here, grab a coffee, and talk. Maybe we can figure out what the hell is going on before we go to Gibbs' house. Okay?"

Coffees in hand, McGee led Ziva over to a stone bench near a small fountain in an area off the beaten path. Despite the constant presence of military and civilian personnel milling about, the vast grounds of the Navy Yard afforded them a chance to sit and talk without worrying about being overheard.

After taking a few sips of her coffee, Ziva took a deep breath and turned to McGee. "McGee, do you have any idea at all what is going on?"

McGee shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't have a freaking clue what's going on! Tony has been acting nervous and weird all day, and I've never seen Gibbs like he was earlier. Could _you _tell he'd been crying? What the hell is that about, and where is Tony? Why isn't he back yet?"

When she didn't answer, McGee looked at Ziva and wondered what was going on in her mind. Her features had softened a bit, but he could almost feel the tension rolling off of her in waves as she looked off to some unknown point in the distance. His concern for her was doing nothing to alleviate the headache building behind his eyes.

"Ziva, _have_ you been dating Burley? I mean, I know it's none of my business, but you called him a different name earlier. Are you sure it's the same guy?"

Ziva's eyes flashed as she suddenly turned her head and glared at McGee. "Of course it is the same guy! The man Tony was talking to earlier was at my apartment just last night. His name is Scott Barrows, it is _not_ Stan Burley. Do you not believe me, McGee," she demanded accusingly in response.

"Geez Ziva, calm down! It's just, well, something really hinky is going on. I mean, if Gibbs suspects Burley or Barrows or whatever his name is, why didn't he just have Tony arrest him? Why send Tony to meet him in the first place? He doesn't even like Burley, never has, but from where I sat it sure looked like they were having a pretty heavy conversation. It was almost like ...," McGee shook his head as if trying to get rid of an absolutely absurd idea.

Ziva furrowed her brow and shouted, "Like _what_, McGee?"

McGee scrubbed a hand down his face and took a deep breath. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's like they were, I don't know, former lovers or something," he said with a questioning shrug.

Ziva jumped to her feet and with abject fury in her eyes she growled, "No! I cannot believe that. I will _not_ listen to this!"

Before McGee could respond to the unexpected outburst, Ziva took off at a dead run and soon disappeared into a small clump of trees at the edge of the parking lot. He was about to take off after her until he heard Abby call out his name. He turned around and sighed as an obviously over-caffeinated Abby skipped merrily over to him, her pigtails swaying as she came to a stop and beamed at him.

"Hey, Timmy! What's up? Where's Gibbs? Where's Tony? Hey, where's Ziva going? She on her way to the Bossman's house," she asked in rapid fire succession.

"I don't know where the hell she's going! In fact, I don't know a goddam thing anymore," McGee exclaimed throwing his hands up in frustration. The dull ache in his head was threatening to morph into a full-blown migraine, complete with flashing lights and nausea.

* * *

Tony pulled the company Charger into the parking lot and nearly collided with Ziva's Mini Cooper as she tore through it at breakneck speed. He braced himself as he slammed on the brakes to avoid a certain disastrous head-on collision. "Jesus Christ Ziva," he yelled out the open window but she did not acknowledge him. Quickly pulling into the first available vacant space, Tony watched her squeal the tiny car's tires as she sped out into the street, barely managing to miss a FedEx truck that had to swerve to miss her.

After giving Vance a short debriefing, Gibbs stood at the railing above the bullpen and looked down at Tony. He couldn't see his face, but the slumped shoulders told him that meeting with Stan had taken its toll on his lover. No doubt Tony's insecurities were again in play, and Gibbs knew he needed to tread carefully. The softly spoken, mournful apology Tony made after Stan left nearly broke his heart. It was hard for him to hear Tony profess to having loved Stan, but he knew that it killed Tony to have to say it knowing that he was listening.

Unaware that he was being watched, Tony stared at his blank computer monitor and waited, steeling himself for the inevitable fallout. Did Gibbs even want to see him? Would Gibbs, no Jethro, even speak to him after what he had just heard? Was his life for all intents and purposes over? Had he lost his one true love forever? These thoughts and others continued to plague him until a shadow crept across his desk. Tony muttered a silent prayer before looking up with sad, defeated eyes. "Hey Boss," he croaked out as he fought back tears.

"Come on Tony. I just talked to Vance. We're done. Everyone's on the way to my house," Gibbs said in a soft monotone not giving any indication what he was feeling.

Tony nodded his understanding then grabbed his gear and dutifully followed Gibbs to the elevator, feeling every bit the condemned man being led to the gallows. Once inside Tony leaned against the back wall and stared up at the ceiling as he waited for Gibbs to lay into him and send him packing. Just as the doors opened at the main lobby floor, Tony asked in an almost childlike voice, "So, _we're_ done?"

Gibbs turned to Tony and fixed him with an incredulous glare. He said nothing but crooked his index finger in an all too familiar silent command for Tony to follow. When they finally reached the Challenger, Gibb grabbed Tony by the arm and flung him around then pushed him back against the driver's side door. Almost instantly Tony felt Gibbs' warm lips on his and a persistent tongue begging for entry, which was granted without hesitation. It was a kiss of sheer relief and desperation, and at that moment neither of them cared if every single person, military or civilian, employed at the Navy Yard walked by and saw them. Hungry for any intimate contact they could get, they feasted from each other's lips until they were both dizzy.

Desperate for air Tony peeled their lips apart and panted, "So, was that a good-bye kiss?" The head slap that followed was swift and deliberate in its delivery.

"DiNozzo, you idiot" Gibbs growled in frustration through clenched teeth before slowly leaning in to rest his forehead against Tony's. He looked into Tony's emerald green eyes and asked softly, "How could you even ask me that?"

Tony dropped his backpack on the ground then took Gibbs' face in his hands. Looking his lover dead in the eye he replied, "Because I know you were listening, and I know that if I heard _you_ tell someone else that you had once loved them I couldn't take it. I'm sorry, Jethro. I'm so sorry you had to hear that."

Gibbs kissed the tip of Tony's nose. "I know. Yeah it sucked, but what you had was a _long_ time ago. It's in the past and it doesn't matter anymore. It's you and me now, and that's all that matters."

The tears that had been threatening for the last hour finally fell unabated as Tony's arms flung up involuntarily and wrapped themselves tightly around Gibbs' neck. "Oh thank God! So, so you're not mad at me," Tony asked hopefully amid a bought of the sniffles.

Gibbs managed to peel Tony off of him after a minute then flashed a crooked half-grin and replied, "At you, no. I'm plenty pissed at Burley for everything he's put you through though." After another brief kiss Gibbs straightened up and said, "Okay, get in and let's get out of here. Everyone will be wondering what happened to us."

Tony wiped his moist eyes with his shirt sleeve and snorted as he picked up his backpack and jogged around the front of the car to the passenger side, "Yeah, Abby will think we snuck off to have hot, wild monkey sex or something." Gibbs couldn't hold back a snicker of his own and shook his head as he unlocked the door and climbed in behind the wheel.

* * *

Stan nervously paced around his motel room and it wasn't long before the walls began to close in. His day had started on such a hopeful note, but things quickly fell apart with Tony's unexpected questions about Ryan Mitchell. "How the fuck did he find out," he questioned in his mind. Gnawing on his thumb nail he pondered what had given him away. "OH FUCK," he yelled when he suddenly realized his fatal mistake. Like some stupid, lovesick teenager Stan had acted in haste when he used Ryan's phone to place all those calls to Tony at home – and at work!

"Oh, shit, shit, shit," he muttered frantically as he tossed everything haphazardly into his suitcase and a duffel bag as the pieces began to fall into place. No doubt Gibbs, the son of a bitch, had ordered Abby to trace his calls to Tony. Knowing that she was a genius and would do anything and everything to please Daddy Gibbs, it probably took her all of ten seconds to trace the number back to Ryan's phone. A few keystrokes later and BANG, his entire involvement in the "investigation" would be known. He thought he had covered his tracks well enough that the case would go cold, but it was painfully obvious that it didn't stay cold for long.

Slamming the trunk closed a short while later Stan knew that his options were extremely limited. Not having to worry about a mortgage, rent, car payments, or other bills for the last several years he at least had plenty of cash in his bank accounts. His payroll checks were direct deposited and his storage unit fees and two credit card bills were paid automatically each month. He decided that his first stop would be to the local branch of the Federal Employee's Credit Union where he would withdraw a large amount of cash to cover his expenses for a couple of months.

Walking out of the bank and into the late afternoon sunlight, Stan made a mental list of his most pressing issues. The first order of business would be to get a different car. Too many people had seen him in the rented sedan he was driving, so he pulled into the Enterprise office two blocks down the street and turned it in. Two hours later he drove out of the used car lot across the street in a fully loaded jet black 2008 Jeep Wrangler in search of a new place to stay while he figured out his next move.

* * *

Abby and McGee walked through Gibbs' house to find Ducky, Palmer, Tony and Gibbs seated in lawn chairs that had been set out on the back patio. Gibbs stood and offered his chair to Abby before unfolding two more, one for McGee next to her and one for himself next to Tony.

Noticing that McGee's complexion had taken on a greenish pallor, Ducky questioned with grandfatherly concern, "Timothy by dear boy, are you feeling all right?" At McGee's mention of his headache, Ducky sent Palmer out to his Bentley to fetch his medical bag. A couple of prescription-strength painkillers later, the pounding in McGee's head began to subside to a tolerable level.

Palmer helped Gibbs hand out bottles of beer to everyone while Ducky made himself a cup of Earl Grey tea. The atmosphere surrounding the gathering was tense as they waited for Ziva to arrive, and small talk about nothing in particular did nothing to ease the tension. Abby made a few attempts to reach Ziva by phone only to have her calls go straight to voicemail. Meanwhile, McGee filled Tony and Gibbs in on his talk with Ziva, and her explosive reaction to his theory about Stan and Tony.

"Yeah, Probie," Tony muttered regretfully as he patted McGee on the shoulder," there's some history there." McGee nodded in understanding, knowing that an explanation was likely forthcoming.

After two more attempts to call Ziva, Gibbs grew frustrated and announced, "Okay, Ziva's obviously not coming." He grabbed Tony's hand and gave it a squeeze, earning a weak but genuine DiNozzo smile. Gibbs then turned his attention to the others and stated, "Things have gotten complicated. Someone Tony was involved with back in college has been harassing him, someone most of us know. _Former_ NCIS agent Stan Burley."

Abby gasped loudly and exclaimed, "No way, Gibbs! And what do you mean by former agent?" She then turned her attention to Tony and with a questioning look asked softly, Tony? Is this true?"

Tony nodded and looked her straight in the eye. "Yeah Abs. It's true, and I'm sorry." He reached over and grabbed her hand. "I met him my junior year just before finals week when a couple of my frat buddies and I road-tripped to Pittsburgh. He went by the name Steve Barton back then, don't ask me why. We, um, lived together that summer until I walked in on him and a friend of mine. I split without saying good-bye, thinking I'd never have to see him again." Tony got up and started pacing then huffed out a laugh and threw up his hands.

"You can imagine my surprise when he showed up on the screen in MTAC to brief us on the case we ended up helping him with. Kate was instantly charmed by him, of course, but I couldn't wait to get off that carrier. You remember, Probie," he asked looking at McGee, who nodded.

"Yeah Tony, I remember. I knew something was wrong," McGee offered apologetically, his unspoken regret clearly evident. "I could tell were upset about something, but I didn't do anything to help. I'm sorry, Tony."

Tony chuckled, "Don't worry about it, McGee. Ancient history, just like I thought he was." He went on to explain his encounter with Stan on the ship, meeting him again in the park, and the numerous phone calls.

Gibbs took over and recounted Stan's visit Saturday morning, the threat he made when he showed up again Sunday night, and Vance's announcement that he had resigned his post. He was about to mention the San Diego case when a thought suddenly struck him. "Shit! Tony, I think I know how Stan got your home number. When he was here I got a call from Jack. Burley went into the living room. My cell was sitting on the coffee table."

Tony's shook his head in disbelief and finished the thought. "So while you were in the kitchen, he got my home number off of your phone. That explains it."

"Explains, what?" Abby demanded. "Why would Burley do that? Why wouldn't he just call you at work or stop by the office if he wanted to talk?"

Gibbs sighed heavily. "Because he doesn't just want to talk. He wants Tony back and told me he's willing to do whatever it takes to get him back. He apparently saw us out together Saturday night."

Palmer, who had been sitting quietly next to Ducky, finally chimed in and asked, "So, if I may, what does any of this have to do with Ziva?"

"That's where things get more complicated, Palmer. I know you never met him, but he's been using her to get information about me and Tony, and probably all of you," Gibbs stated. "She told me they met at a bar Saturday night. I'm guessing Stan dug up information on all of us and recognized her from a newspaper article on the internet. He's been using another alias with her too, Scott Barrows. Needless to say she was a bit shocked today when she saw him sitting with Tony having lunch."

"Oh good Lord! I can only assume that is why our young friend is not here," Ducky declared. "That poor girl must feel horribly betrayed. We must find her, Jethro."

"Trust me Duck, it gets worse." Gibbs dropped the big bomb by laying out his case against Stan for the disappearance of Ryan Mitchell. He felt bad dashing Abby's long-held admiration for Stan. He knew they were friends, and up until Stan made a pass at him that night in the basement, Gibbs had wondered if something was going on with the two of them.

For the next hour Gibbs and Tony took turns answering questions and bringing everyone up to speed. A sea of eyebrows shot up at Gibbs' suggestion that Stan could be dangerous now that the San Diego case had come to light. Ducky did his best to poo-poo the idea, but he knew all too well that Gibbs' gut was rarely if ever wrong.

"I just don't know, Duck. He's not the same Stan Burley we all knew years ago. If he thinks we're going to look into Petty Officer Mitchell's disappearance, there's no telling what he might do. Right now we don't have enough to even bring him in for questioning, and until we do I want all of you to keep an eye out for him and – look out for each other," Gibbs admonished. He shot McGee a look that made it clear in no uncertain terms that his job was to do everything necessary to keep Abby safe. "McGee, first thing tomorrow I want you to run his two known aliases – Scott Barrows and Steve Barton. If there is so much as a parking ticket, I wanna know about it." McGee nodded and pulled a small notepad from his pocket and jotted down the names.

It was approaching dinner time if Tony's loudly rumbling stomach was any indication. With a chuckle Gibbs pecked Tony on the lips and announced, "Guess that's my cue to order the pizzas." Tony flashed him a beaming smile earning a sappy sweet, "Awww, you guys are so cute," from Abby.

Ducky chuckled and followed Gibbs inside to make sure he ordered at least one relatively healthy veggie pizza. When they were out of earshot Tony turned to his three friends and let out a tired sigh. "Okay, I know you guys still have a million questions, but I really don't want to talk about all that shit in the past. It's done and it was over for me a _long_ time ago. But, before you ask, yes, Stan was the _only_ other man I've been with."

Abby smirked while McGee and Palmer blushed furiously for a few seconds. "Subtle as always, DiNozzo," she whispered teasingly in Tony's ear.

McGee suddenly looked at Tony very seriously and asked, "Do you really think we're all in danger? I mean, he could be anywhere right now. Gibbs told Ziva and me about the San Diego investigation. Ziva freaked out a little when Stan showed up at the restaurant. Why isn't she here with us? You didn't see her when I talked to her, Tony. She was really confused at first then seriously pissed off when she took off. I'm afraid of what _she_ might do."

Tony shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know, Probie. I saw her drive off like a bat out of hell. I thought she was on her way here."

Across town a lone figure sat at the end of the bar at Max's Tavern nursing a stiff drink.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thank you again to everyone for your reviews, PMs, helpful comments, and alerts!

Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters or places. I am making no money from this work of fiction and no copyright infringement intended.

Warning: Okay, time for some lovin'! I think our boys deserve it after the day they had, don't you? *winks*

* * *

Ch 15

McGee sat and stared in astonishment at the 8x10 glossy Abby had printed of Ryan Mitchell. The resemblance to a twenty-something Tony was uncanny and was apparently the cornerstone of Gibbs' suspicion that Burley targeted Mitchell for that very reason. Ducky put his psychological profiling degree to good use as he attempted to explain that Stan likely fantasized that Ryan Mitchell was Tony, and then killed him because in reality he was not.

"Whether such as killing, if that is indeed what happened to the young man, was intentional or accidental I simply cannot say. That boy's resemblance to Anthony is rather remarkable, so one can only assume that Agent Burley became infatuated with him and the idea of being reunited with his lost love," Ducky said looking sadly at Tony. "I am sorry, Anthony. This must be terribly difficult for you."

Tony nodded in response. "Yeah. Nothing like having your long buried past dug up and brought out into the open." Looking around the table at the concerned faces of his friends, Tony sighed. "Look, let's just find something to use against the son of a bitch, okay? I'm fine, really. I really appreciate the concern and all, but I just want to go back to forgetting that I ever met him."

By the time the last pizza box had been opened all hope of Ziva showing up had vanished. No one uttered the words, but to Tony it was pretty obvious that everyone seated around the dining room table feared that Ziva might just break from the team and side with Stan. It became his worst fear as various explanations for her absence were discussed.

"No way," Tony said in her defence when Abby finally voiced her concern. "Ziva and I may have some issues, but she would _never_ turn her back on all of you. She probably just went to the gym to kick the living shit out of the heavy bag. You said she was really pissed, right Probie? Well, we've all seen how she deals with shit when she's mad. I'll call her later or talk to her tomorrow."

Ducky suddenly stood at the head of the table and called an immediate end to the meeting. Gibbs looked at his friend and chuckled, and for just a second wondered if he needed to second the motion and hand Ducky a gavel to bang on the table to bring the meeting to an official close.

"We have all had a most trying and dare I say emotional day, especially our dear Anthony, so I think it would be best if everyone took their leave. A good night's sleep will do wonders for us all. Recharge the old batteries, as they say," Ducky announced with a slight chuckle.

Empty pizza boxes and beer bottles were gathered up and taken out to their respective recycling bins, which were properly labelled and lined up against the back wall of the garage. Exactly when Gibbs "turned green" as Abby called it no one really knew, but with Gibbs no one dared question it.

"Good night, my dear friends," Ducky said as everyone gathered on the driveway to say their good nights once the clean-up was finished. Palmer waved and muttered a good night as he got into the passenger seat of Ducky's Bentley.

Abby pulled Tony into a sisterly hug and murmured, "I'm really sorry about all of this Tony. You call Dear Abby if you need me, okay?" Releasing Tony, who nodded tiredly in response, and repeating the process with Gibbs she said to him, "You too Gibbs. I mean it. McGee and me - we're here for you guys."

Gibbs grinned and kissed her on the cheek while simultaneously shaking McGee's hand. "Thanks, both of you. Now go. You heard the good doctor, get some sleep. See you in the morning. Good night."

Tony and Gibbs stood side by side and waved as first McGee then Ducky backed out of the driveway. When both cars disappeared down the dark street, Gibbs turned to Tony and pulled him into his arms. "How you doing', Tony?"

Relaxing into the embrace, Tony sighed tiredly. "This has been the weirdest fucking day and I'm beat. You doing' okay?" he asked as he nuzzled into Gibbs' neck.

"M'fine. Let's go upstairs. I have a great idea," Gibbs murmured into Tony's hair.

Before Tony could protest, Gibbs grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the house. Once inside he led Tony to the stairs. "Why don't you head on up. I'm just gonna lock up and I'll be up to join you in a minute."

Tony plopped down on the edge of Gibbs' bed and fell onto his back. He threw an arm across his eyes and actually prayed that, like him, Gibbs was too tired for sex. He sat up when he heard Gibbs coming up the creaky stairs and smiled when he appeared in the doorway.

Gibbs surprised him by handing him an unopened toothbrush. "Hope you don't mind, but can we just, um, you know, cuddle tonight? As much as I want to make love with you, I'm too damn tired."

Tony barked out a laugh. "Oh thank God! I was gonna say the same thing." He stood and wrapped his arms around Gibbs' neck and asked with a hint of innocence in his voice, "Can we, you know, maybe at least make out for a little while?"

Gibbs' rolled his eyes for effect and swatted Tony on the butt. "Let's just brush our teeth and get ready for bed, then we'll see."

Nightly ablutions completed, they stripped down to their underwear and climbed into bed. Gibbs turned out his bedside lamp leaving them laying face to face with only the light from a full moon washing over them. They traded loving kisses and caresses, both desiring the closeness without letting things get too heated. It wasn't long before sleep claimed them as they lay tangled together.

* * *

Across town Ziva slapped a twenty dollar bill on the bar and headed for the door. She was numb from the day's revelations and knew alcohol wasn't the answer, but she needed to process the overwhelming sense of betrayal she felt. It was bad enough that she had already lost Tony to Gibbs, but McGee's suggestion that Tony and Scott had once been lovers as well was more than she or her fragile ego could endure. She felt like a complete fool and had no idea how she would ever be able to face her teammates again.

Occupied with digging her car keys out of her purse, Ziva didn't notice Scott walk up to her on the sidewalk outside the bar. "Hey Ziva," he greeted cheerfully. "Imagine running into you here – again. You aren't leaving already, are you? It's only 9:00."

Ziva tamped down her sudden anger and schooled her features before looking up into Scott's pale eyes. She plastered on a fake smile and said demurely, "Yes, I was just leaving, but I would be happy to join you for a nightcap first."

Relief washed over Stan that he was barely able to supress. _"She may be on Gibbs' team, but she doesn't have a fucking clue,"_ he thought to himself. Turning on the old school charm, he crooked his arm and offered it to her. "Shall we?" She put her arm through his and let him lead her back inside the bar.

* * *

Gibbs wasn't sure if he was dreaming, but if he was he didn't want to wake up. He cracked an eye open in the early morning light to see the top of Tony's head as it bobbed up and down over his morning erection. _"Not dreaming," _he thought as a smile crossed his lips. His hips involuntarily shot up off the bed when he felt the tip of his cock hit the back of Tony's throat and he moaned loudly.

Tony released his cock just long enough to flash a devious grin and offer Gibbs a chirpy good morning before getting back down to the business of driving him insane.

"Oh God, Tony! Feels so good. You're gonna make me come," Gibbs announced with a sleepy, gravelly voice. Tony responded by doubling his efforts as he worked Gibbs over, alternating strong suction taking him deep in his throat and swirls of his tongue around the swollen head. One hand splayed across his abs held Gibbs firmly in place while the other took turns teasing his twitching hole and tickling his balls. When he felt Gibbs begin to shake, Tony smirked around the thick warm flesh in his mouth. Two hard swallows and little tug on Gibbs' balls later it was all over. Gibbs' let out an unearthly groan as he unloaded everything he had. Tony hummed appreciatively as he took everything offered without missing a drop. Gibbs was still shaking with aftershocks as Tony licked him clean.

With a self-satisfied smirk firmly in place, Tony stretched out next to Gibbs and began peppering his chest with kisses. Gibbs rolled them so that he was looming over the gorgeous Italian and staring down into his ever-changing green eyes. Tony wasn't sure what he expected Gibbs to say at that moment, but a panted "fuck me Tony" certainly was _not_ it.

Not needing to be asked twice, Tony nodded then pulled Gibbs down into a passionate kiss and rolled them back over in the process. "Tell me what you want, Jethro," Tony murmured between kisses.

Tony's mind was blown for a second time when Gibbs announced that he wanted to ride him. Rolling them again, Gibbs retrieved the lube from his nightstand drawer and using two slick fingers made short work of preparing himself to take Tony's cock, which was and standing proudly and leaking profusely.

Watching Gibbs prepare himself was absolutely the hottest thing Tony had ever seen, and it made him ache for the man even more. "Damn Jethro! You're making me so hard. That's it, get yourself ready for me. It's gonna be so good."

By the digital numbers on the alarm clock they didn't have much time, so Gibbs took Tony's cock in hand spreading on some extra lube and lined it up to his hole. There was no slow and easy as he took Tony deep in one motion.

"HOLY SHIT!" Tony screamed at the sensation. Because of the sudden intrusion, Gibbs internal muscles clamped down around Tony like a vice. It bordered on painful, but Gibbs quickly adjusted and to Tony being buried inside him felt like coming home.

"Fuck, Jethro, I'm not gonna last. Jesus you feel so good," Tony panted as he tried to hold onto a tiny shred of self-control. Gibbs' legs felt like they were on fire as he impaled himself over and over again as they raced to the edge. There was no way Gibbs was going to come again so soon, so he focused all of this energy into driving Tony wild.

"Come on Tony. Give it to me. Come for me. I wanna feel it," Gibbs begged when he felt Tony's first shudders.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God," Tony moaned before his whole body seized as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through him as he came so hard he nearly blacked out.

Gibbs stilled then slowly climbed off of Tony and lay down beside him. Tony's eyes were slammed shut as he fought to catch his breath. The way he looked basking in the afterglow was something Gibbs would never get tired of seeing. He carded his fingers through the dark hair on Tony's chest and crooned, "You with me Tony? We gotta get up and get a move on. You hit the shower first and I'll go start the coffee."

Tony could only nod in response and slowly rolled out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom. Twenty minutes later he padded barefoot into the kitchen carrying his shoes and socks. He was dressed in the clothes he kept in a go-bag in the trunk of his car. Gibbs had retrieved it while he was in the shower and laid the clothes out on the bed for him. Tony wrapped his arms around Gibbs from behind and watched as he poured hazelnut creamer into a pitch black cup of coffee.

"Mmmmm...thanks, Jethro," Tony purred as he rested his chin on Gibbs' shoulder. "And I'm not just talking about the coffee."

Gibbs ducked his head looking almost bashful as a shy smile crept onto his lips. "You are most welcome, Tony. I could get used to mornings like this."

* * *

Tony sauntered into the bullpen greeting everyone he encountered on the way with a smile and cheerful good morning. He stopped dead in his tracks and gaped at the sight of McGee.

"Jesus McZombie, you look like hell!" Noticing that McGee was wearing yesterday's clothes and hadn't shaved Tony dropped his backpack behind his desk and stepped over to his partner's. "Have you been here all night, McSleepy?" A brief look down at the collection of empty Styrofoam cups in his wastebasket confirmed his suspicion.

McGee stretched with a groan. "Yeah. Abby and I came in around midnight. Neither of us could sleep. She wanted to listen to the tape Gibbs gave her and do some digging. I wanted to see if I could find anything on Stan's aliases. Um, where is Gibbs?" McGee finished with a jaw-cracking yawn.

"He's, uh, down with Abby. Hope he bought her a huge Caf-Pow! He's gonna be pissed if she looks even half as bad as you do. Why don't you go grab a nice hot shower, and for God's sake shave! Stan's not going anywhere," Tony ordered as he pulled McGee to his feet and gently shoved him in the direction of the back elevator that would take him to the locker room. "Hey Probie," he called out as McGee shuffled away. "Thanks, man."

After a quick call to Gibbs, Tony headed outside to the vendor cart offering baked goods. He filled a bag with donuts and muffins before heading to the coffee kiosk to pick up everyone's preferred caffeinated drink. He got a green tea for Ziva even though he wasn't entirely sure she would show up.

When he returned to the bullpen he found Ziva sitting at her desk reading email and was happy to see that McGee looked almost human again. Without a word, Tony took Ziva's tea from the cardboard holder and placed it in front of her.

"Feel better, Probie," he asked as he placed a large black coffee and two creamers in front of McGee. We waved the bag and announced, "Picked up donuts and muffins. Help yourselves."

Tony was happily munching away on a jelly-filled donut when Ziva appeared in front of his desk. He swallowed a bite then wiped the corners of his mouth. "Help yourself, Ziva," he offered.

Standing expressionless, Ziva said, "Tony. May I have a word - somewhere more private?"

"Sure. McGee, tell Gibbs Ziva and I are in the conference room when he gets back." McGee nodded in response after popping a large piece of blueberry muffin in his mouth.

Tony opened the door and waved Ziva inside then closed the door behind him. He pulled out a chair for her and took the one opposite for himself. "Okay, spill. Why didn't you show up yesterday?" Tony sat back and stared at Ziva, waiting for her to speak.

When she finally spoke, it came out strangled. "I could not face you, Tony. I needed to be alone, to think. McGee suggested that you and ..."

Tony interrupted. "Yeah, me and Stan, or whatever he calls himself now. This was all explained yesterday. I had a short-term relationship with him, but it was over twenty years ago. He used a different name, just like he is with you now. He was Steve Barton back then. I found out who he really was during a case a year or so before you came along, back when Kate was alive. He's been Agent Afloat for years and just resigned a couple of days ago. He's apparently been digging for information on all of us. He's been calling and leaving messages, I guess trying to win me back, but after yesterday he knows that I'm happy with Gibbs."

Seeing a look of humiliation cross Ziva's face, Tony reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "I'm so sorry, Z, about all of this. First you find out about me and Gibbs, and then about me and Stan. From what Gibbs said, he's been using you. He knew who you were from the get go. He's a master bullshit artist, Ziva. Gibbs told me he filled you in on the San Diego cold case. Well, I met Stan yesterday not only to tell him _in person_ to leave me the hell alone, but to see if I could get him to say anything incriminating. Now that he knows we may be onto him, I have no idea what he might do."

Ziva nodded. "I went back to the bar where I met him last night. It is where I go to think. I ran into him outside as I was leaving. He does not know that I know about San Diego, at least I do not think he suspects anything. Tony, if what you say is true we need to stop him. What can I do," she asked.

"You're not going to do a goddamn thing," Gibbs barked from the doorway behind her.

Ziva jumped out of her chair and turned to find herself looking into seriously pissed off icy blue eyes. "Gibbs, I ..."

"Save it," Gibbs growled furiously as he crowded her personal space until she was forced to take a step back. "Where were you yesterday? I gave you a direct order and you disobeyed. You broke Rule 3. Your team - your family - needed you."

"Gibbs," Tony said softly. "S'ok. I filled her in."

"That's not the point," Gibbs shouted, his eyes never leaving Ziva's. "Agent David, I need to know if I can count on you. Your life and those of your team - your family - may depend on it."

* * *

Stan woke to a pounding headache. His nightcap with Ziva ended up being two drinks, followed by God only knows how many after she left. He had lost count after six and kept drinking until the bartender announced last call. Fortunately, his new temporary quarters were a short walking distance up the street. The efficiency apartment he found was small, but it was cheap, clean, and surprisingly tastefully furnished. He had seen a tear-off tag ad pinned to a cork board at the gas station after he filled the Jeep. He tore off one of the tabs on his way out and called the number. The apartment wasn't scheduled to be ready for a new tenant until the upcoming weekend, but Stan's offer to pay two month's rent, in cash, in advance got him the keys immediately.

He had literally and figuratively dodged a bullet running into Ziva outside the bar. If Gibbs had spilled his secrets and voiced his own suspicions to her, she hid it well. Stan's vast network of NCIS and other intelligence contacts had given him a wealth of information about the former Mossad operative. Ziva David could prove to be an invaluable ally if he played his cards right. Her history with men on both a personal and professional level was astounding, and the two often mixed with disastrous results. The art of seduction was one of her most powerful weapons, so he needed to tread carefully.

Stan was horrified to find out that Ziva had been repeatedly sexually abused by Salim Ulman and his men while being held captive in Somalia and decided that he would only use that information against her as a last resort. Under normal circumstances Stan thought he and Ziva could be friends. He didn't want to see her end up as collateral damage, but at the end of the day she was just an asset at his disposal to be utilized for his needs. He liked Ziva as a person and respected her skills and background, but they had no basis for any kind of lasting friendship.

* * *

Gibbs' cell phone rang and he answered with a terse, "Yeah, Gibbs." Tony and Ziva watched as Gibbs pulled the ever-present notebook from his inside blazer pocket and began jotting down notes. "Okay McGee. Gas the truck and DiNozzo will meet you."

He flipped the phone shut then turned to Tony. "Dead Marine at Quantico. Call Ducky then meet McGee at the truck." Turning to Ziva with anger still in his eyes he said, "Ziver, you're with me." Gibbs threw the conference room door open, not seeing the wide-eyed exchange between his agents.

"So, what happened with Ziva? Gibbs looked really pissed when I told him you two were talking," McGee stated from the passenger seat of the MCRT van.

Tony hazarded a brief glance at this partner before turning his attention back to the road in front of him. It was a good thing McGee had the GPS location handy since he was having a difficult time keeping up with Gibbs, who drove like a maniac some distance ahead.

"I dunnno, Probie. Yeah, Gibbs laid into her about not showing up yesterday. I told her everything and she seemed cool with it. Asked how she could help bring Stan down." Tony sighed then said, "I think Gibbs is wondering whose side she's really on."

"What?" McGee shouted. "Gibbs really thinks she would side with Stan - against you - against all of us? Uh uh, no way! Tony, she's hurt and betrayed, and I guess that's my fault for what I said to her, you know, about you and Stan, but he's been lying to her this whole time. You know damn well how she hates being lied to."

"Yeah, I know. Believe me, I know. But think about it for a minute. She's had these feelings for me that I didn't even know about, then she finds out that me and Gibbs are together, _and _that I used to be in a relationship with the new guy in her life. Probie, that's gotta sting, man!"

McGee nodded thoughtfully. "True." Taking a minute to sum up some courage, McGee finally asked, "So, did you really love him? Stan I mean."

Nodding from the driver's seat, Tony replied softly, "Yeah, I actually did. Just between you and me Probie, he was my first. Everything happened so fast, and then - it was over." Tony spent the next half hour of the drive recounting how he and "Steve" met and the next few months that followed.

McGee was nearly speechless as he listened to Tony tell his tale. "Wow!" was all he could mutter in response. He felt honored that aside from Gibbs, he was the only person to be entrusted with Tony's story.

"Wow? That's all you have to say, McGee," Tony asked, expecting more of a reaction.

McGee shrugged. "What do want me to say? Tony, you know I've never cared about you being bi or whatever, but this really makes me understand why you've never been able to commit to anyone. I mean, do you think if you hadn't fallen for Gibbs one of the women you dated might have worked out?"

"I doubt it, but it doesn't matter now. I have everything I want now, and for the first time in a helluva long time, I'm truly happy," Tony said as a smile grew on his lips.

McGee beamed back at him and patted Tony on the shoulder. "And I'm happy for you, man. Long time coming, but you deserve it."

Up ahead, Gibbs and Ziva were cruising along in a tension-filled silence. Ziva knew it was now or never to speak her mind.

"Gibbs, I know you do not want to hear it, but I am on your side. As I told Tony before you came in, I needed to be alone to think." Gibbs glanced at her and nodded for her to continue.

"These past several days have been - difficult for me. As you have probably been made aware by now, I have had feelings for Tony for quite some time. Finding out that he did not share them, and instead had feelings for you was not easy to hear. Now to find out that a man I just began dating is a former lover of Tony's, _and _possibly a murderer - well needless to say, I have had a lot to think about."

Gibbs cleared his throat. "I know, Ziver, and I'm sorry. Stan and I were friends once. This isn't easy for any of us, especially Tony. Stan wants him back, and that's what the meeting was about yesterday. Tony wanted to meet with him face to face. Stan's been calling and begging Tony to come back to him. After twenty some odd years, he won't let it go. Stan's been using the missing Petty Officer's cell phone, and that's how we found out about his involvement in the San Diego case."

Ziva swallowed hard as her anger built. Cutting Gibbs off she exclaimed, "That is why I want to help, in any way I can. Gibbs, I would never turn my back on you - any of you. You are all my family! If I keep seeing him, and if I can get close enough to him, then maybe I can get something to use against him."

Gibbs shook his head. "It's too dangerous. Now that he knows we may be onto him, everyone, especially you, could get hurt - or killed. I'm not going to risk any of you to bring him down."

Ziva glared at Gibbs and shouted defiantly, "I _am_ capable of taking care of myself! You need to make sure he stays away from Tony and that _you_ keep Tony safe. I will take care of the rest. I am dangerous too, Gibbs, in case you have forgotten." She paused for a moment then chuckled and said softly, "Gibbs, despite everything, I _am _happy for you - and for Tony."

Gibbs grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. He favored her with a crooked half-smile and said in all sincerity, "Thanks, Ziver." Pulling his hand back and gripping the steering wheel, Gibbs floored the gas pedal and said, "Let's deal with this case first, then we'll come up with a plan."


	16. Chapter 16

Confession Time: I had to go back and look up something I put in an earlier chapter and discovered that somewhere around Chapter 12 Petty Officer Randy Mitchell's first name got changed to Ryan! Don't ask me why because I really have no idea! I do believe my little error has been corrected! (Can't believe none of you caught that!)

Disclaimer: I don't own any recognizable characters or places, just the somewhat twisted plot. I am making no money from this work of fiction and no copyright infringement is intended!

A/N: This started out as a much longer chapter but I decided to break it into two. Trust me, you'll see why at the end of this one. Sorry for the tease (not really *smirks*).

Enjoy! As always, your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.

* * *

Ch 16:

Abby stood in her lab Thursday morning and stared at her printer, hypnotized as page after page of the transcript she had just finished typing poured out into a neat stack. She felt dirty from listening to the intimate part of Tony's conversation with Burley and definitely understood why Gibbs didn't want anyone else to be privy to it. Tony was her dearest friend and she easily picked up on the sadness and deep regret in his voice as he spoke, knowing that Gibbs was listening to his every word.

Startled when her blaring music was suddenly silenced, Abby was about to turn and properly scold whoever had dared invade her domain only to stop at the sight of Leon Vance tossing her stereo remote back onto the stainless steel table. He was as stealthy as Gibbs, and was the one person Abby could never quite get a good read on. The Director of NCIS wasn't known for showing up out of the blue for idle chit-chat, so Abby knew he was there in a strictly professional capacity.

"Hey! Oh, Director Vance, um, lovely to see you," Abby stammered at her surprise guest while fighting an overwhelming urge to curtsy. "Is there something I can do for you - um, sir?"

"Relax Miss Scuito," Vance said, smirking ever so slightly around the ever-present toothpick sticking out from the corner of his mouth. "Gibbs and his team got called out on a case. They're on their way to Quantico as we speak, so _I'm_ here to see what you've dug up on _former_ Agent Burley."

Abby closed her eyes and sighed. Between lack of sleep and worrying about her friends, she was so physically and emotionally drained that no amount of Caf-Pow! was likely to help. In her heart of hearts Abby knew that Gibbs would never accuse his former partner, colleague, and friend without a damn good reason, but she was finding his story difficult to believe. The tale Gibbs spun the night before was in direct opposition to everything Abby had come to know about Stan Burley. Even though Gibbs' gut was right ninety-nine percent of the time, a fiercely loyal Abby was going to need irrefutable proof of wrongdoing before drawing any conclusions.

Abby and Stan joined NCIS at roughly the same time and became fast friends. She had been physically attracted to him, but it didn't take long for her to realize that Stan was at the very least bisexual. The two of them had joined Chris Pacci and a couple of other agents for drinks one Friday after work, and Abby was quick to notice how Stan's gaze always seemed to follow the hotter guys in the bar. She elbowed him in the ribs after catching him licking his lips while overtly leering at the tall, blonde, muscular bartender wiping down the bar top. Stan blushed knowing damn well he had been caught, but an understanding nod and a wink from Abby instantly put him at ease. Abby leaned and whispered conspiratorially, "Down boy! Your secret is safe with me, but you'll catch hell from Pacci if these guys catch you drooling over the uber-studly bartender."

"Miss Scuito, I will ask you again. What information have you dug up on Agent Burley," Vance asked authoritatively, his patience growing thin.

Ever since his meeting with Gibbs and Tony earlier in the week, Vance had spent countless hours trying to make sense of, quite frankly, everything. Dealing with the news that they were romantically involved had the potential on its own to cause major problems. He would be well within his rights to break up the team due to Gibbs being Tony's direct supervisor, but ultimately at what cost? The MCRT was well known as _the_ premier investigative team in the entirety of the agency. Vance knew he would have to talk with McGee and David at some point to make sure they did not have a problem with Gibbs and Tony, but so far he saw nothing in the team's interactions to the contrary. He decided to leave it for now and feign ignorance until a problem actually arose. For the time being, however, Vance saw no need to fix what currently wasn't broken.

In truth, he had been floored by Gibbs and Tony's joint announcement about their budding romance, and it had taken every bit of control he had not to let it show. By the sheer number of stories floating around about DiNozzo's attempts to date every available female in the building combined with Gibbs' well-known but never discussed marital failures, the thought of the two of them turning to each other was unfathomable. However, when it came to the members of his MCRT, Vance had to admit that nothing really surprised him anymore.

When Gibbs briefed him about Tony's meeting with Burley, Vance's control disappeared in an instant. A potential love-triangle was one thing, but a rogue now _former_ agent being a part of it did not sit well with him. Add the fact that Ziva had become an unwitting participant had the potential to make the situation even more volatile. Vance wanted to keep this whole sordid mess as quiet as possible and hoped like hell he would not have to brief Sec Nav Jarvis about any of it. Jarvis would certainly not be as accommodating about the Gibbs/DiNozzo situation and the fallout could be disastrous for everyone. Come hell or high water, the "Burley Matter" would be handled quietly, in-house, and strictly by the book.

Vance knew they didn't have enough to bring Burley in for questioning, but that didn't mean he had to like it. An agent under his command, with a file full of commendations, was now quite possibly the prime suspect - if not the _only_ suspect - in a likely murder case, and he was on the loose. The only thing Vance had in the plus column was that Burley was due in Human Resources first thing the next morning for an exit interview and to turn in his badge and agency-issued Sig. The head of HR had already been instructed to let him know the minute Stan arrived. Vance intended to have a little chat with the man and wanted to be armed with as much information as possible, which is why he was now standing in the middle of Abby's lab.

"Sorry Director, but there's really not much to go on. Timmy, oh sorry, I mean _Special_ _Agent_ McGee, has been running his known aliases, but so far, nada," she reported with an apologetic shrug. "I was just about to call Pete Martolli and see if they have even a tiny speck of physical evidence."

Pete Martolli was Abby's counter-part in the San Diego field office. While he was no Abby Scuito when it came to overall scientific genius, he could hold his own when it came to forensic investigation. Working together might yield enough to at least bring Burley in as a material witness.

Abby shuffled her feet and nervously bit her lower lip. "Um, Director, do you really think Burley could have killed him," she asked while pointing at Randy Mitchell's photograph on the plasma screen.

Vance shrugged. "I really don't know. I don't know him that well, but this kid does look a lot like DiNozzo. It could be something or it could be nothing, but we _will_ find out. A botched investigation like this stinks to high heaven, and if Burley _is_ involved in any way, _we_ will be the ones to take him down. Keep me updated on anything you find," Vance ordered before tossing his thoroughly chewed toothpick into the trashcan by the door on his way out of the lab.

Abby dialed the San Diego office switchboard, and while waiting for them to ring Pete's extension, she closed her eyes and sighed mournfully. "Oh Stan, you better not be involved in this."

* * *

As soon as the team arrived at the crime scene, Gibbs began barking out this standard set of orders. After spending most of the last week in the office, it felt good to be back out in the field. Despite the tragic circumstances, Gibbs knew that getting caught up in an investigation would be a welcome distraction to his team, especially Tony.

McGee pulled out his fingerprint scanner to confirm the identity of the victim, Marine Sergeant Major Joshua Markham, age fifty-four, whose bloody and broken body was found on the confidence course by a Drill Sergeant leading his men on an early morning run. Markham had been stripped naked, bound, beaten, and by the dried blood smears on his inner thighs, very likely raped. McGee looked up at Gibbs to report on the victim's identity when he saw Gibbs staring at the dead man's face with a puzzled look on his own.

"Boss, you okay," McGee asked quietly as he rose from his crouched position.

"Yeah McGee, fine," Gibbs replied, hoping he sounded convincing before turning and walking away, his gut churning.

Ziva came over and set to work photographing the body and the immediate area around it in anticipation of Ducky's imminent arrival. She noticed McGee, who had returned to his crouched position, staring intently at the victim's face and saw him visibly pale before her eyes.

She stopped taking photos and let the heavy Nikon hang around her neck. "McGee, are you all right?"

"Jesus Ziva, does this guy look familiar to you?"

Ziva crouched down to get a closer look and gasped. She turned wide-eyed and stared at McGee for several seconds before muttering pathetically, "Yes McGee. He looks _a lot_ like Gibbs."

Tony finished interviewing the Drill Sergeant who almost literally stumbled over the body then trotted over to Gibbs, who was leaning heavily on the hood of the Charger with his head hanging. Gibbs, lost in thought, didn't hear Tony approach and flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder. The victim was a few years younger, but the resemblance could not be a mere coincidence. His graying hair was cut high and tight, and beneath the cloud of death Gibbs was certain his eyes were icy blue like his own.

"BOSS," Tony barked to get Gibbs' attention. Gibbs blinked a few times and turned to face Tony. Concern set in immediately and Tony's tone softened. "Jethro, what is it?"

Gibbs swallowed hard before answering. "Our victim. Dammit Tony, he looks like ..."

"Oh no," Tony rasped out, fearing what Gibbs was going to say. "Let me guess, he looks like me?"

Gibbs shook his head slowly. "Nope. Like me." Under normal circumstances Tony's almost comical expression of utter astonishment would have made Gibbs laugh, but there was nothing normal about this situation.

Ducky and Palmer arrived and pulled to an abrupt stop directly behind the Charger on the dirt and gravel access road that wound through the outlying areas of the base. The elderly but spry Medical Examiner jumped from the passenger seat of the ME's van apologizing profusely for being late to arrive at the scene.

"I am sorry, Jethro, but Mr. Palmer took a wrong turn – again – and put us in dreadful traffic."

Ziva was subjected to Palmer's stammered defense for taking the wrong turn as she helped him unload equipment from the back of the van while McGee joined the others.

"Hey Ducky," McGee greeted, sounding a bit out of breath after climbing the steep hill leading down to the body. "Boss, you think Burley did this," McGee stated flat out, never breaking eye contact with Gibbs.

"Jethro?" Ducky asked hesitantly looking between Gibbs and Tony for confirmation, getting only a noncommittal shrug from Tony, who had not yet seen the victim.

Gibbs cleared his throat and nodded his head toward the crime scene. "Dead Marine down there, Duck. Sergeant Major. Looks a hell of a lot like me."

"Oh my word," Ducky breathed out after following McGee, Tony and Gibbs down the hill to where Sergeant Major Markham's prone body lay. He was taken aback by the strong resemblance to Gibbs and called out to Palmer.

"Mr. Palmer, quick as you can with a body bag please. I want to get the poor Sergeant Major back home for a proper and thorough examination."

"Right behind you, Dr. Mallard," Palmer replied as he carefully scrambled down the hill with Ziva's assistance.

Using the liver probe, Ducky determined that the time of death was between approximately 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. "Cause of death was likely due to blunt force trauma to the head. As you can see, there is quite a depression in the back of the skull. Our poor Sergeant Major took quite a beating, Jethro. At first glance these other injuries do not appear to be fatal in nature, but I will not know anything for certain until I complete a thorough autopsy."

"You sure about the time of death, Duck," Gibbs questioned as he jotted down notes in this notepad.

"As sure as I can be, Jethro. I'd say within half an hour either way, but yes. May I ask why you are questioning the time of death?"

A relieved sigh escaped as Gibbs replied, "Means there's no way Burley could have done this. He has an alibi. Okay people, we've got work to do so get on it! Ziva, when you're done with photos help McGee bag and tag. DiNozzo, you're with me."

A couple of Marines who had been standing by guarding the perimeter as the team worked offered their assistance to carry the Sergeant Major's body up the hill. When he was secured on the gurney in the back of the ME van, Palmer and Ducky thanked the Marines for their assistance before heading back to NCIS to begin the autopsy.

It was another three hours before the team pulled out of Quantico's main gate, this time McGee driving the MCRT truck and Tony riding shotgun with Gibbs. Tony's stomach rumbled repeatedly, so an hour outside of D.C. Gibbs told him to call Ziva and have her and McGee meet them at the truck stop two exits ahead.

Over burgers, fries and Cokes, the team compared notes. Preliminary interviews with members of Markham's platoon yielded a few possible leads. Apparently, Markham had recently come out of the closet after the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which did not go over well with a few men under his command. The Base Commander contacted medical personnel who, under Gibbs' watchful eye, took cheek swab DNA samples from each Marine in Markham's unit. Tony carefully bagged and tagged each swab to maintain the chain of evidence. At Gibbs' request, the Commander confined the Marines to the base until DNA testing ruled them out as possible suspects.

Gibbs fixed Ziva with a stern look across the worn Formica table and asked almost accusingly, "What time did you leave Stan at the bar last night?"

Tony and McGee traded "uh oh" looks across the table as they waited to see how this exchange would go. A lot hinged on not only Ziva's answer to Gibbs' question, but her reaction to it.

Ziva returned the look and replied coolly, "I left at 10:35 sharp - alone. He stayed, but for how long I do not know. He had a few drinks while I was there, but I do not believe that he was intoxicated. I heard him start a conversation with Mark, the bartender, as I was leaving. I do not know what they were talking about."

Tension filled the air as Gibbs continued staring at Ziva as if searching her eyes for the truth, which he apparently found. His demeanor seemed to change as he picked up a French fry. Before popping it in his mouth he gave Tony a sideways look and said in a softer tone, "DiNozzo, when we get back I want you and McGee to go and talk to the bartender. I want to know what Stan drank, how much he drank, when he left, and if he left with anyone."

"On it Boss," was Tony's automatic reply before he and McGee exchanged "man that was close" looks.

* * *

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" Abby squealed as she ran through the bullpen just as the team returned late in the afternoon from Quantico. She threw her arms around Gibbs' neck, miraculously not knocking the large coffee out of his hand in the process.

"Whoa Abs, careful! What are you doing up here anyway?" Gibbs scolded as he carefully extracted himself.

Tony and Ziva sat at their respective desks and watched the floor show with amusement. Abby's excitement over trivial things was plenty fascinating, but she was more animated than usual signaling that some major revelation was forthcoming.

"But Gibbs, I have news. Huge news. Monster, awesome, ginormous news," she declared gleefully as she clapped her hands.

Tony and Ziva exchanged smirks as Gibbs sat his coffee on his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. He may not be the most patient or tolerant man on the planet, but Gibbs had an amazing ability to deal with Abby and her highly-caffeinated over-exuberance.

Placing his hands firmly on her shoulders to keep her still he asked slowly and firmly, "What's the big news, Abs?"

"They found the missing Petty Officer, Gibbs, and, um, he's alive!"


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Terribly sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Ended up battling a nasty illness last week, but all is well now!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters or places, just the twisted plot! I am making no money from this work of fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

Still working without a beta, so all (stupid) mistakes are mine and mine alone!

* * *

CH 17:

"What?" four stunned voices cried out in unison as McGee dropped the evidence bin back on his desk. Tony looked around and noticed that several agents from the Middle East section of the squad room were now standing and staring at the team over the partition walls. He shot out of his chair and waved McGee and Ziva over to join Gibbs and Abby in a "campfire."

The group was so tightly huddled as Abby ran down the scuttlebutt she got from Pete Martolli that no one heard Vance's steady footsteps. Everyone, except for Gibbs, jumped when Vance announced, "Gibbs! I want to see you and your team in my office, now! That means you too, Ms. Scuito." One glare from the esteemed Director and all of the onlookers in the squad room scramble to return to their normal duties.

A few minutes later the team stood at attention in front of Vance's desk, with Abby bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet next to Gibbs. Once again, Gibbs placed a hand firmly on her shoulder in a silent order for her to calm down.

Vance leaned back in his chair and looked at each member of the team. Satisfied that he had their undivided attention he announced, "I received a call from Matt Williamson. As Ms. Scuito has already informed you, it looks like our missing Petty Officer has been found. Details are sketchy, but he was found by a couple of hikers - naked and nearly beaten to death. After your inquiry Gibbs, the San Diego office decided to reopen the case. A local station got a hold of it and one of the hikers saw Mitchell's picture on the news last night and called it in. The kid's been a John Doe all this time. Spent five weeks in a coma at UCLA Medical Center in LA, and now he's at a rehab facility in San Diego."

"Wait, wait, wait," Tony said, waving both hands in front of his face. "I mean thank God he's alive, but that doesn't explain why Burley has his cell phone, or why he freaked out when I asked him about the guy."

"Doesn't explain the shitty investigation either," Gibbs snarked helpfully. "Something doesn't add up, Leon. We need to get him in here for questioning."

"I agree," Vance said. "As a matter of fact, he's due in here first thing in the morning. Exit interview with HR. I plan to have a little chat with him afterward, and I'm sure you have a few questions of your own."

Returning Vance's questioning raised eyebrows with a pointed glare Gibbs replied, "You're damn right I do."

"Okay then. As soon as HR is done with him, I'll call you. In the meantime, you and DiNozzo need to pack your bags. I'm sending you two to work with Williamson and see if this Mitchell kid can recall anything. Balboa and his team will work with McGee and David on the new case. McGee, I'm gonna let you call the shots on this one. Any problems, you call me or run it by Balboa. I think it's time we find out what kind of investigator you are."

Tony turned and grinned proudly at McGee, who looked stunned beyond reason. Patting McGee on the back, Tony said with a chuckle, "You can totally do this McGee. Make me proud, Probie."

Vance cleared his throat causing Tony to snap back to attention and mumble an apology. "If you don't mind, Agent DiNozzo, I need to speak with Agents McGee and David alone. Ms. Scuito, I see you have some evidence to process. You three are dismissed."

Abby couldn't resist snapping her heels together and shooting off a sloppy salute, earning an eye roll and chuckle from Gibbs as he steered her toward the door. "Wrong hand, Abs."

Vance sat expressionless until the large double doors closed leaving only McGee and Ziva standing before him.

"Have a seat. We have a couple of things to talk about," Vance ordered in a clipped tone as he motioned for them to sit in the chairs in front of his desk. He sat back busily working over of toothpick and watched as McGee squirmed in his seat and Ziva looked down at her hands folded neatly in her lap.

"First, I need to know how you two feel about Gibbs and DiNozzo dating. First time this situation has come up and I need to know if their relationship is going to be a problem for either of you."

Fearing the worst and wanting to protect his best friend, McGee sat up straight and cleared his throat. "Um, Director, sir, I've known about Tony's, I mean Agent DiNozzo's feelings for Agent Gibbs for a long time, years in fact. I didn't know Gibbs felt the same way about him, but whatever. Personally, I'm glad they finally got together. I think they are good for each other. It's only been a week but they both seem happy, and I'm happy for them. As far as work goes, nothing has changed."

Ziva grinned ever so slightly and added, "That is true Director. Gibbs still smacks Tony on the head as much as he always has. He does not treat him any differently. I may have been shocked at first, and honestly a bit disappointed to find out about them dating, but I too support their new relationship. It has not affected how we work as a team, so I do not have a problem with it."

Vance eyed the two young agents for a brief moment then nodded. "Okay, that's good to know. If a problem does come up, I expect you to let me know. I don't want to break up your team - again - but I will if it becomes necessary. Agent McGee, you're free to go. You have a case to solve, and I need another minute with Agent David."

Ziva smiled weakly and nodded resignedly at McGee, who slowly stood and walked over to the door. "Um, Director if I may?" McGee stared at Vance until he got an affirmative nod to continue. "This whole mess with Stan Burley - well, it's not Ziva's fault. We think he's been using her, probably to get information about Tony - and Gibbs. We're not sure what he's planning."

"Understood," Vance replied and nodded dismissively before turning his attention back to Ziva.

* * *

Gibbs had gone for coffee leaving Tony pacing around the middle of the bullpen, his mind going through a vast array of scenarios, none of which were good. He had good idea what Vance wanted to talk to McGee and Ziva about, and it quite frankly scared him. Tony knew that if McGee could summon the courage he would stand up for them, but he still wasn't quite sure where Ziva stood. He ran up the stairs and waylaid McGee as soon as he reached the first landing on his way down.

"Well Probie, what the hell was that all about? Vance planning to ship my sorry ass out of here again? Or worse, he's just gonna fire me isn't he? That's why he's letting you run the case. He wants to see if you can handle being Gibbs' SFA. Shit! He'll probably send me to an arctic outpost somewhere. God, I'll go insane if he sends me afloat again!"

McGee rolled his eyes dramatically and sighed before shouldering his way past Tony to descend the stairs. "Relax, DiNozzo! You're not going anywhere. Vance just wanted to know if Ziva or I had a problem with you and Gibbs being together. We both said we were okay with it and happy for you, and that was it. Ziva's still up there, probably getting grilled about Burley." Seeing the look of relief on Tony's face when they reached the bullpen, McGee clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I told you, I've got your six Tony."

Tony opened his desk drawer and holstered his Sig and grabbed his badge. "I know you do Probie, and thanks. Okay, we gotta go. I called the bar Ziva and Stan were at last night. The same bartender is working tonight. Let's go see if 'ol Stan's alibi holds up."

When they stepped off the crowded elevator and into the main lobby, Tony pulled out his phone to call Gibbs and report in as they headed for the main exit. Tony stopped suddenly and flashed his signature smile. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Tony had just spotted Gibbs. McGee immediately felt like a third wheel when he saw Gibbs walking toward them with a more subtle crooked smile of his own.

"Hey Boss," Tony said, his tone a bit huskier than he intended, his eyes twinkling as Gibbs came to a stop well within his personal space. He murmured an apology out of the corner of his mouth to an eye rolling McGee before clearing his throat. "Um, we were just on our way to go talk to the bartender. Shouldn't take too long."

"Good. Just hurry up and get back here. I want preliminary reports tonight," Gibbs ordered before backing up then making his way to the elevator. Tony and McGee both snickered as the crowd of agents and other staff exiting the elevator parted like the Red Sea as Gibbs approached.

Gibbs breezed into Autopsy a few minutes later to find Ducky and Palmer closing the door on the cold storage locker containing the Sergeant Major's body.

"Got anything for me, Duck?"

"Ah, Jethro. Not much I'm afraid. We've only completed the external exam, though I still maintain that blunt force trauma to the head is the most likely cause of death. We shall find out more first thing tomorrow morning. Sadly, it does appear that the Sergeant Major was violently raped. I found traces of semen. My best guess is that this poor man was held fast, bound, beaten, brutally raped, and then a single blow to the back of the head ended his life. Whether there was more than one assailant I cannot say. I am afraid that his last minutes on earth were horrific and he suffered a great deal," Ducky said sadly.

Turning to Palmer he said tiredly, "Mr. Palmer, if you would be so good as to take these samples up to Abigail, please, before you leave for the day."

"Sure thing, Dr. Mallard. I will see you in the morning then. Good night Dr. Mallard. You too Agent Gibbs," Palmer said as he took the small tray holding several glass evidence vials from Ducky. The semen, blood, fibers, hairs and other trace evidence had been carefully collected and labeled for Abby to analyze.

"What else is on your mind, Jethro," Ducky asked as the doors swished shut behind Palmer.

Gibbs jumped up to sit on one of the steel tables and proceeded to fill Ducky in on the news about Randy Mitchell, their meeting with Vance, and Ziva giving Stan an alibi in their current case.

"That is certainly good news about Petty Officer Mitchell, but your gut is telling you that Stan Burley is still involved somehow, I can tell," Ducky stated confidently. He could read Gibbs better than anyone, save maybe for Tony, and could tell by his creased brown that Gibbs was struggling to make sense of it.

"Yeah, it is. Burley supposed to be here first thing tomorrow to talk with HR, then Vance and I have a few questions for him. After that Tony and I are flying out to San Diego to see if we can dig up anything. Until we get back, McGee will be running lead on this case," Gibbs reported.

"Ah, well good for young Timothy! I have no doubt that after years spent under your expert tutelage he is more than ready, and dare I say quite capable of living up to your very high standards. He shall make you proud Jethro!" Ducky declared proudly before frowning as a disturbing thought suddenly crossed his mind.

"Jethro, my apologies but I must ask. Where does all of this leave poor Ziva? She has been hurt and, quite frankly, humiliated, unintenionally, of course, by you and Anthony, and intentionally by Stan Burley. Are you quite sure you can you trust her?"

Gibbs shrugged. "I dunno, Duck. I hope so. I want to, but she doesn't have the best track record. I don't know if I can trust her to follow orders and not go after Stan on her own. I just don't know, Duck."

Ducky nodded in understanding. History had shown that if Ziva David was hell bent on exacting revenge there was little that could be done to stop her. When she first joined NCIS as Mossad Liason Officer, Ziva had always been quick to resort to Mossad tactics without any regard for the due process provisions afforded under the United States Constitution. It wasn't until she applied for U.S. citizenship and spent every free minute she could studying for the exam that she was able to fully appreciate the freedoms associated with being an American citizen. However, her mistrust and killer instincts were deep seeded, and depsite becoming a U.S. citizen her judgment was still often called into question.

"I shall keep a watchful eye on her in your absence, Jethro. Perhaps I will invite her down for a spot of tea and a friendly talk," Ducky suggested giving Gibbs a cheeky grin. Gibbs snorted, knowing from experience that one of Ducky's "friendly talks" was likely to be either one of his long stories or a very stern lecture.

After their very brief but informative talk with the bartender, McGee went straight to the lab to help Abby sort through and log in all of the evidence they had brought back from the new crime scene. Tony strolled into the bullpen to find Ziva working quietly on her report. He could tell that her talk with Vance had not gone well. After tossing his backpack in its usual spot behind his desk he casually strode over and perched on the corner of her desk.

"Talk to me Ziva," he requested softly. "Vance give you a hard time?"

Ziva looked up and was comforted by the genuine concern she saw in Tony's eyes. "Getting rammed out is never pleasant, Tony," she answered.

Tony cocked his head, and despite the seriousness of the situation he chuckled. "It's reamed out, Ziva." After a brief pause he continued. "What did he say?"

She let out a tired sigh. "He ordered me to have no contact with Stan. I tried to argue that since he does not know that I know the truth about him that I might be able to get close and get information to use against him. Director Vance did not agree. Tony, he not only questioned my judgment - but my loyalty as well."

Tony shook his head then leaned over Ziva's desk. Looking her dead in the eye, he said, "Listen to me. Vance may be a huge pain in the ass, but he's just looking out for you - and this agency. We have to handle this Stan thing strictly by the book. You have to promise me that while Gibbs and I are gone you won't go all Mosad Ninja and go after him on your own." Ziva opened here mouth to protest, but before she voice it Tony said sternly, "I'm not goddam kidding, Ziva! Don't fuck this up!"

Gibbs stopped in the doorway of the lab and watched as McGee and Abby worked side by side to catalogue the evidence laid out on the stainless steel table. Seeing them fully focused on the case almost made him forget that they were romantically involved. He thought back to the night McGee had unexpectedly showed up in his basement to ask for his permission to date Abby. Everyone knew that Gibbs thought of Abby as a daughter, and he was touched by McGee's gesture.

"Oh hey, Bossman!" Abby greeted when she looked up saw Gibbs leaning in the doorway.

"Hey Boss," McGee greeted, automatically stepping away to put a little distance between himself and Abby.

Gibbs walked over to stand across the table. "You up for this, McGee," Gibbs asked, only half teasing as his eyes scanned over the evidence bags. He glared at Abby after she punched him hard in the arm.

"Gibbs! How could you ask that? Of course he is! Timmy, I mean Very Special Agent McGee is a great investigator," Abby admonished in McGee's defense, shaking an accusatory finger at Gibbs.

Gibbs smirked then leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I know he is, Abs."

"I promise I won't let you down, Boss," McGee said confidently, standing straight and squaring his shoulders. "I can do this."

Gibbs stood directly in front of McGee, crowding his personal space. He grinned and replied with a wink, "I know you can, Tim. What did you and DiNozzo find out from the bartender?"

"Well, he backed up Ziva's story. Said she left around 10:30. Stan stayed until the bar closed. Guess his alibi is solid. Get this though, Stan told the bartender he should ask Ziva out - even gave him her phone number. Can you believe this guy, playing Ziva like this?"

Gibbs hook his head in disgust. The more he found out about Stan and his methods, the more uneasy he became. He was on the one hand relieved to find out that Stan did not rape and murder Sergeant Major Markham, but his gut still nagged him. Between leaving his team and now, Stan had changed and not for the better. He hoped that along with solving the Mitchell case he could find something to shed light on what had happened to his old friend.

"That's good work, McGee. Okay, you two finish up here then go home. Back at 0800."

When Gibbs reached the bullpen he found Tony sitting at his desk two-finger tapping away on his keyboard. Sitting at his desk he watched in fascination as the tip of Tony's tongue peeked out as he concentrated on typing his report. Over the years, Tony watching had become his guilty habit. The ever changing expressions on his beautiful as Tony worked through reports, evidence and witness statements was mesmerizing. The self-satisfied smile that broke out whenever Tony jumped up to announce that he had found the missing piece to break a case open was his reward.

"Where's Ziver," Gibbs asked behind his hand to hide an amused smirk. He stood holstered his Sig and crossed the bullpen to stand in front of Tony's desk.

"Sent her home," Tony replied without taking his eyes off of his monitor. "Vance chewed her out about Burley, and I figured it was close enough to quitting time. Not much we can do until Abs gets DNA results."

"Good call, Tony. McGee and Abby are finishing up in the lab, so let's get out of here."

Tony finally looked up and grinned. "My place tonight? I was thinking Chinese take out and a nice bottle of wine out on the patio." He saved his report and powered down his computer then pulled his badge and Sig from the desk drawer.

Gibbs returned the grin. "Sounds good. I'll run by the house and pack then head over. Give me an hour?"

Tony slung his backpack on his shoulder and whispered in Gibbs' ear when they reached the elevator, "I'll be waiting."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews, alerts, and PMs for the last chapter. Real life took over in a major way so I did not get a chance to reply to very many of them.

* * *

Ch 18

Gibbs showered quickly then changed into an old pair of faded jeans and one of his many USMC hooded sweatshirts before throwing enough clothes for three days into his rarely used suitcase. With the new case just kicking off, he really hoped that the trip to San Diego would be a short one. He had every confidence in McGee's ability to lead the investigation in his absence, but he had concerns about Ziva towing the line and being there to back him up.

Even though he and Tony were going to San Diego _officially _to work on the Mitchell case, Gibbs had every intention of working in at least one late-night stroll on the beach under the stars if the opportunity presented itself. It wouldn't be a dream vacation or even a romantic weekend getaway, but Gibbs was determined to make the most of his time away with Tony.

Gibbs was a deeply closeted romantic, not that any of his ex-wives would agree with that assessment. Shannon had made it easy since she never demanded or expected anything from him. In her unique way, she brought out the best in him. When Gibbs lost her and Kelly, he lost the best parts of himself. He remarried three times, each time hoping to recapture at least some of what he and Shannon had shared, but each marriage was doomed from the start. It was painfully obvious that no woman on earth could replace Shannon, the only woman he had truly loved. All three ex-wives tried to change him and demanded attention and affection that he simply could not give.

The few men in Gibbs' past had been nothing more than casual hook-ups with no expectations of more. There were no date nights, romantic dinners, or long laughter-filled phone calls. Gibbs was a skilled and generous lover in the bedroom, but he never spent the night in order to avoid awkward mornings after. He never led them on, and they were for the most part happy to settle for a few hours being driven wild by him. Diego has been a welcome distraction in Mexico and Gibbs had started to feel a real affection toward him, which was precisely the reason he knew he had to leave.

Tony, like Shannon, brought out the best in him simply by accepting him exactly for the man he was, and now Gibbs wanted to show everyone that he was more than the coffee swilling bastard he presented to the world. For the first time in twenty years, Gibbs had someone he could be himself around. Tony had stealthily gotten under the wire years ago and had taken up residence in his heart with Shannon and Kelly. Instead of feeling guilty like he had with each failed marriage, Gibbs felt a sense of peace that finally he could put them to rest and let himself fall in love again.

With that thought in mind, Gibbs zipped up his suitcase, grabbed his phone, Sig, wallet and keys, and headed downstairs. After a cursory check to make sure that the coffee maker was off, he switched off the lights except for a small wall sconce above the fireplace and headed for the Challenger parked in the driveway. Gibbs put his suitcase in the backseat and was about to open the driver's side door when something made him stop and look back at the house. He didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary, but for the first time in as long as he could remember Gibbs locked his front door.

Patience was definitely not Gibbs' strong suit, and it was being sorely tested to the limit as he hit heavy traffic on the beltway making the drive to Tony's place take longer than normal. He immediately regretted his decision to head home and pack the instant Tony drove off in the opposite direction out of the Navy Yard. He knew it was an absurd notion, but the idea of Stan lurking in the shadows and following Tony kept playing over in his mind. Finally fed up with the bumper to bumper traffic, Gibbs peeled off to take a longer but less travelled route through quiet residential neighborhoods. Not wanting to once again come off like a knight in shining armor coming to rescue the fair maiden, he resisted the urge to call despite a nagging feeling that Stan was out there somewhere just biding his time, waiting for an opportunity to get Tony alone.

Relieved to find the door locked when he finally arrived at Tony's condo twenty minutes late, Gibbs quickly flipped through the keys on his key ring until he found the one with a "T" etched into it. He had keys to everyone's home in case of an emergency, Palmer being the lone exception. No one bothered asking for a key to his house. General consensus was that no one in their right mind would break into Gibbs' house, and that somehow his bad ass, Marine sniper with a short fuse reputation would keep any would-be burglar away far better than any home security system ever could.

Not bothering to knock Gibbs unlocked the door and stepped inside. Closing the door quietly behind him, he turned the deadbolt then toed off his shoes and stealthily padded across the living room to the French doors that were swung open out to the patio. Gibbs leaned against the door frame and watched Tony as he lounged in a chaise playing an acoustic guitar, eyes closed as he finger picked the strings and hummed a now familiar tune. He was playing the song that started it all. One simple song written from the heart years ago had changed everything, and if not for his pinky swear promise to Abby to show up at the talent show he never would have heard it.

Gibbs smiled and clapped when Tony finished the song. Tony stood and bowed theatrically before gently setting the guitar down in the chaise he had just vacated. Wearing gray sweats and a worn Ohio State sweatshirt, Tony sauntered over to Gibbs and leaned in for a brief kiss.

"Thanks for the standing ovation."

"You're welcome. I think that's my favorite song," Gibbs replied with a grin before pecking Tony on the lips. "Did you order yet? I'm starving."

"Yeah, I picked it up on my way home. What took you so long anyway? You're like _never _late," Tony teased.

"Idiot drivers," Gibbs said with a shrug, as if that explained everything.

Tony laughed then grabbed Gibbs' hand and led him to the kitchen where they each loaded up a plate from the numerous cartons Tony pulled from the oven and lined up on the counter.

"What did you do DiNozzo, order the whole damn menu," Gibbs asked with a chuckle.

Tony shrugged unapologetically then grabbed a fork out of the nearby silverware drawer for himself and handed a set of cellophane wrapped chop sticks to Gibbs. "I couldn't decide. I was hungry and everything sounded good." Opting for beer instead of wine, Tony pulled two bottles from the fridge and followed Gibbs back out to the patio where two places had been set at the small round tempered glass-topped table.

Simple but elegant placemats with coordinating napkins in teak wood napkin rings were set across from each other, and a candled hurricane lamp adorned the center of the table. Gibbs got settled into one of the thickly padded wrought iron chairs and raised his beer in a silent toast. After clinking the necks of their beer bottles together both men hungrily dug in to the mounds of food on their plates.

Tony could tell by the set of Gibbs' shoulders that the events of the day were weighing heavily on him. He knew what he needed to do and hoped that Gibbs wouldn't put up too much of a fight for what he had planned. He wanted to forget everything else and just be with Gibbs for a few hours without all the extra bullshit surrounding them getting in the way.

A question had popped into Tony's mind on his way home and he wondered if this was a good time to bring it up. He was almost afraid to ask, but knew that it was a topic they would need to discuss eventually. Deciding that the direct approach was best, he just blurted it out.

"Hey Gibbs? What's your dad gonna think, you know, about us? He's not going to totally flip out or anything is he?"

Tony and Jackson already had a friendly relationship due to Tony's insatiable curiosity about all things Gibbs and Jackson's pleasure in sharing stories about his younger days, but Tony couldn't help but wonder what he would think of him being romantically involved with his only son. Gibbs assured him that his dad would actually be over the moon about it. Tony was stunned when Gibbs mentioned that his dad had asked about "them" a couple of years earlier and had even tried to prod him into making the first move. Gibbs went on to share how Jackson confessed to knowing since his teen years that he had an attraction to boys as well as girls and had, in fact, caught him behind the garage "exploring life's possibilities" with the preacher's son when he was fifteen.

"Guess I wasted a couple of years," Gibbs said regretfully.

"We both wasted _a lot_ of years," Tony replied with an equal amount of regret. After a few seconds he snorted out a laugh. "You should have been there when Senior walked in and caught Anson Butterford Ailsworth, III groping me in his study! He was sixteen and said he wanted to show me something, so like a dumb kid I followed him. I was only twelve and didn't know anything, but there I was pinned against the wall with Anson's hand down my pants when my dad walked in. Senior, of course, tried to blackmail his dad, and when that didn't work he whipped my ass so hard I couldn't sit for two days. Son of a bitch shipped me off to the military academy a week later to straighten me out. Bastard."

Senior was a touchy subject since Gibbs had never made any effort to hide his blatant contempt for the man who had treated his only child so horribly most of his life. How Tony had grown up to be as kind, caring, loyal, and empathetic as he was, despite some understandable insecurities, was beyond his comprehension. God only knew what Senior was capable of now, and Gibbs wouldn't put it past him to make both of their lives pure hell if or when he found out about them.

"What about _your_ dad, Tony? Think he'll cause problems," Gibbs asked before taking a bite of almond duck and noodles.

Jackson Gibbs and Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. were the epitome of good versus evil in many respects. Jackson was a proud and humble man, accepting of pretty much everyone and everything, whereas Senior was ruthless and only gravitated toward people he could align himself with to make a quick buck. His succession of failed loveless marriages to rich widows and trophy wives was proof enough of that.

Tony surprised Gibbs by answering with a dismissive shrug and a simply stated, "You know, I don't really give a shit what he thinks," reply.

After dinner they carried their empty plates and beer bottles inside and made short work of storing the leftovers and tidying up the kitchen. They took fresh bottles of beer outside and looked out over the sprawling city below from their vantage point at the railing. Tony's rooftop patio was nothing short of paradise found to Gibbs, who had a sudden desire to make love to Tony right there under the stars despite the unseasonable frosty chill in the air.

When they were finished, Gibbs took their empty bottles to the kitchen while Tony grabbed his guitar and placed in its stand next to his baby grand piano. He shut and locked the French doors before sauntering over to Gibbs and taking his face in his hands. After a brief chaste kiss, Tony used his thumbs to ease the worry lines that seemed to be permanently etched into Gibbs' forehead and around his eyes.

Gibbs couldn't suppress a tired, needy sigh from escaping at the affectionate gesture, which Tony took as his cue. Cocking his head, Tony narrowed his eyes and requested very softly, "Will you do something for me?'

"You know I will. Name it," Gibbs replied confidently.

Tony leaned in and whispered in Gibbs' ear, "Trust me?"

The rather odd request surprised Gibbs, who pulled back and immediately noticed the concern in Tony's eyes. Tony was one of the few people Gibbs trusted without reservation, so he swallowed hard then nodded slowly and allowed Tony to take his hand and lead him to the bedroom. He hated being fussed over and was unaccustomed to allowing people to take care of him, but with Tony he knew he could let his guard down.

Gibbs snorted when they first stepped into the room. It was bathed in scented candle light, sandalwood if he wasn't mistaken. A couple of extra-large fluffy bath towels had been laid out on the turned down bed and a collection of massage oils were lined up on the nightstand. Tony gently pulled Gibbs back against his strong chest and instantly felt the man in his arms begin to relax.

"What's all this," Gibbs asked curiously, waving a hand around at the tableau before him.

"This is me taking care of you for a change. Now, let's get you out of these clothes so I can work my magic," Tony suggested huskily directly into Gibbs' ear as his hands drifted down to work on the fly of his pants. In a few short moments both men were stripped down to their shorts; Sears boxers for Gibbs and Tommy Hilfiger boxer-briefs for Tony.

Tony indeed worked his magic as his strong hands lovingly worked out the knots in Gibbs' back, neck, and shoulders. Pleasurable moans of contentment spurred Tony on as he methodically worked every bit of tension out of Gibbs' body while the relaxing scent of sandalwood massage oil permeated the room. From his scalp down to the soles of his feet, Gibbs was a boneless puddle by the time Tony bestowed the sweetest of kisses to the tip of his left big toe.

Feeling more relaxed than he had in ages, Gibbs rolled onto his side as Tony stretched out next to him. Tony ran his fingers through the soft gray smattering of chest hair before leaning over to place a kiss right over Gibbs' heart. Tony felt honored that Gibbs would literally lay himself bare and let someone else, namely him, take control and take care of him. They didn't speak for several minutes, settling instead on exchanging sweet, tender kisses and caresses.

Gibbs finally managed to mutter, "You are amazing, you know that? Now, it's _my_ turn to take care of _you_." Before Tony could voice his protest, Gibbs rolled him onto his back and began peppering his chest and neck with kisses before lavishing attention on each nipple until they were both hardened nubs. Gibbs' hands, lips, tongue, and teeth searched out each of his hot spots, and it wasn't long before Tony was a babbling, begging, wanton mass of need.

Gibbs' idea of taking care of Tony meant slow, gentle love-making in its purest sense. It was about trust and connecting, not just getting off or finding a quick release. Tony's whole body thrummed with a low-level electric current as Gibbs' cock slid in and out of his welcoming body at an achingly slow pace. They were on their sides with Gibbs spooned behind Tony thrusting slowly but deeply and deliberately drawing soft moans and muttered endearments from the man wrapped in his arms. Their right hands were entwined above their heads while Gibbs' left hand rested on Tony's hip firmly pulling him back to meet his thrusts. Tony was able to turn his head and use his left hand to reach up and pull Gibbs down into a series of loving kisses. Nothing would be rushed as they melded together perfectly for what seemed like hours before the inevitable need for release crept in.

Feeling Tony begin to shudder slightly, Gibbs moved his left hand down to gently stroke Tony's hard cock and murmured in his ear, "Let go for me Tony. I got 'ya."

It wasn't long before Tony's mouth opened in a silent scream and his eyes slammed shut as his orgasm tore through him. Gibbs felt Tony's whole body tense and his cock pulse as stream after stream of cum shot out onto his chest and abs. "That's it. Give it all to me," Gibbs continued to murmur until Tony had nothing left to give.

Gibbs kissed Tony's cheek then returned his hand to his hip as his orgasm threatened. After a few more short stuttered thrusts Gibbs came buried as deep inside of Tony as he could get. He held Tony's now boneless body tightly against his as the aftershocks subsided. Gibbs carefully withdrew and turned Tony onto his back before taking his already kiss-swollen lips in a gentle kiss.

Tony broke the kiss and looked up into the twinkling blue eyes above him and panting for breath declared sweetly, "That was incredible. _You're_ incredible, you know that, right? You make me feel _truly_ loved. Never had that before – ever!"

Gibbs nodded and brushed a few sweaty hairs from Tony's brow. "You are loved. Been a long time since I cared enough about anyone to show them."

Tony smiled sadly up at Gibbs knowing that he was referring to Shannon. "I love you too." After a few more minutes of good old-fashioned making out, Tony chuckled and smacked Gibbs on the ass. "Okay, I really gotta get up and wash this stuff off before it starts to itch." He raised his head and pecked Gibbs' lips one last time before rolling out of Gibbs' grasp and out of the bed. Tony looked back over his shoulder then teasingly added an exaggerated sway to his hips as he padded to the bathroom after catching Gibbs leering at him.

* * *

Gibbs and Tony were discussing their plans for the day as they strode into the bullpen at 0730 to find McGee already at his desk. McGee, his brow furrowed as his eyes scanned a document he had just pulled from his printer, was so caught up with the task at hand that he did not even acknowledge their arrival. Tony, relieved to see that this time at least McGee looked rested, showered and shaved, stowed his badge and Sig then walked over to his partner's desk and cleared his throat. McGee jumped in his seat earning an eye roll and smirk from Gibbs and a snort from Tony.

"Relax, McJumpy," Tony chuckled. "What are you doing here so early."

McGee looked up and noticed Tony and Gibbs both looking at him curiously. "Oh, hey Tony. Um, morning, Boss. Um, I just wanted to get an early start. Got here about an hour ago. Been doing some more digging on Stan's aliases. He, uh, bought a car using the name Scott Barrows the other day. A black Jeep Wrangler. Ziva should be getting the tags for it. Get this, he gave the dealer_ her _address as his residence. I haven't found an address for him, but Stan has been paying rent on a big storage unit downtown for years."

Gibbs shot out of his chair to join Tony at McGee's desk and snatched the paper from McGee's hand. "That figures. He's been driving a rental car and as far as I know he's staying at a hotel. He's coming in this morning so there's no need to put out a BOLO, but tell the front gate. I want to know the second he gets to the Yard."

"You got it, Boss," McGee replied automatically as he reached for his phone to call Max at the Navy Yard's main gate. McGee received a call back from Max at 0830 that Stan had arrived and was being escorted to Human Resources. He passed the message on to Gibbs, who immediately placed a call to HR with orders to alert him the minute Stan was finished processing out. Since he woud no longer be an agent, Stan would be escorted by an armed guard up to Vance's office.

0900 came and went with no sign of Ziva. She was an hour late and had again broken Rule 3. McGee hazarded a quick glance at Gibbs and it was clear from the set of his jaw that he was beyond furious. Tony had been quietly placing calls to both her home and cell phones, but they all went straight to voicemail.

The tension in the bullpen was palpable and got worse with each passing minute. The last thing they needed today was Ziva being a loose cannon.

"McGee keep digging. I want to know everything Stan's been up to since he stepped off that damn ship. DiNozzo, track down Ziva. Go to her place and drag her in here if you have to. I'm gonna check in with Abby," Gibbs barked as he abruptly stood.

As if on cue, Gibbs' desk phone rang. As he picked up the receiver, he noticed the extension for HR on the caller ID display. "Yeah Gibbs. Okay. Thanks."

Gibbs stepped over to Tony and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Stan's on his way up." He leaned down to whisper directly into Tony's ear. "Don't worry. You just find Ziva."

Gibbs straightened up and squared his shoulders when the elevator dinged and Stan and a guard stepped off. Tony spun his chair around and started rifling through a stack of file folders on his credenza. Stan stopped in front of Tony's desk and smiled. "Good Morning, Gibbs. Morning, T. It's good to see you," he said in a tone bordering on seductive.

Immediately noticing Tony bristle at the way too familiar greeting and the involuntarily clenching of Gibbs' fists, McGee hurried over and crowded Stan's personal space. It had the desired effect to backing Stan up a safer distance from Gibbs while also blocking his view of Tony.

"Stan," he greeted with a curt nod, "Director Vance is waiting for you." When Stan shifted his stance in an attempt to look at Tony, McGee countered to block him. Patting Stan on the shoulder, McGee challenged with a smirk, "He's very busy. Better not keep him waiting."

Stan smirked back at McGee's attempt to intimidate him. "Was just on my way, Agent McGee. Thought I'd stop by and say hello."

"I'll take it from here, Pete," Gibbs growled menacingly before yanking on Stan's arm and dragging him out of the bullpen toward the stairs.


End file.
